MLB Trade Deadline Grades: Winners, Losers, and Skubal

Another deadline is in the books, but this one felt…different. Between Tarik Skubal getting traded leading to fan (and league) tension as teams navigate the looming forecasted lockout, this will go down as an unforgettable deadline. So, what follows? Who are the favorites? We’ll get to it all, starting with the runway that the week before set up.

7/25: Boston and Washington go 1-for-1 in Splash Deal

Late into the night, Boston and Washington got the deadline train rolling with a huge player-for-player trade with Boston taking on the red hot Curtis Mead from the Nats, flipping left-handed pitcher, Connelly Early, to get the deal done.

INITIAL REACTION: Mead was DFA’d by the White Sox and traded for almost nothing to the Nationals just months prior. Now, he’s moved for a consensus top-50 prospect. Prior to Mead breaking his wrist in his first game in Boston, I felt like this was a strange utilization of Early’s value to begin with. Early, while dealing with an arm issue, pitched excellently down the stretch last season, and then followed it up with a solid start to 2026. Early was a widely regarded top-50 prospect in baseball prior to graduating this season.

Mead had shown one half of a season of good baseball thus far in his career, and it was this first half. The simple answer is that Washington unlocked the potential of a former top prospect because that’s essentially what happened. Pull the ball, kids! Regardless of that, it’s a huge gamble to place the future quality potential of Connelly Early on the table for Mead. That being said, once Mead gets healthy, he will be a solid utility piece for Boston who will especially thrive at Fenway.

Back to Boston. Early felt like the big fish to be had this deadline as Boston had made him available, and it felt like Breslow jumped at the first capable bat instead of waiting this out. Boston has developed and traded for pitching exceptionally well, with quality depth across their minor leagues as well. While Mead is under team control through 2030, Boston is pushing chips in to win now, this felt like a suboptimal use of their best MLB-ready trade chip, and one of the best MLB-ready trade chips in baseball.

7/29: Rangers snag relief help, reclamation project

INITIAL REACTION: Rangers went searching for relief help, and Silseth appeared. Texas also takes on Logan O’Hoppe here, a once promising catcher who has fallen on hard times (he won’t be the last one of those we discuss!). We’ll start with Chase Silseth, the prize of this trade. Silseth is nasty, under team control through 2030, and will slot into a Rangers bullpen that has some solid pieces but is overall below average. Silseth’s fastball, splitter, and sweeper are all running whiff rates north of 30% this season, and the only real knock this season has been occasional command issues. O’Hoppe is a throw-in letting the Angels shed some future arbitration salary. Texas has already sent him to Triple-A, and if he can’t show serious progress, he’s a major non-tender candidate as his arbitration price tag for next season will be hefty.

The Angels’ return here is interesting. Arredondo is a glove-first shortstop with quality contact skills and borderline 20-grade power capabilities. It’s not an outwardly bad return, but given Silseth’s stuff, it should have been more. Arredondo has a sub-100 mph EV90, significantly below average, and he’s already suffered a serious shoulder injury, a precursor to power development hinderance. Again, not a terrible return, but if this was the best they could do to get O’Hoppe off the books, it’s very underwhelming.

7/30: Twins established as buyers, snag Minter

INITIAL REACTION: The Twins, for some reason, are buying. Your guess is as good as mine. Despite this, they made a good move here. Just a game out of the Wild Card, Minnesota snags lefty specialist, AJ Minter, from the Mets. Minter has been terrific as the three batter minimum’s evolution of a LOOGY (left-handed one out guy) this season. The Twins are chasing the Guardians, who can’t hit lefties, and Minnesota badly needed a leverage lefty arm besides Rogers, and as a rental, Minnesota didn’t have to give up much of consequence.

The Mets get Billy Amick, a third baseman who strongly profiles for 1B now, rather than later. Amick went from a contact bat with big whiff problems to a power bat with untenable whiff problems (38.4% in AA), but in year one of a newer approach, Amick has begun pulling the ball in the air at a high rate and slugged 24 home runs prior to the trade. The other piece of this trade is son of former Met, Benny Agbayani, Bruin. Agbayani is a contact-first, low power threshold shortstop who was running a 94% zone-contact rate in A-ball.

7/31: Twins pay high price for Dean Kremer…?

INITIAL REACTION: Let’s play which weighs more: in one hand sits Dean Kremer’s splitter, a capable swing-and-miss pitch, and his ability to suck up some innings which might help Minnesota down the stretch here. In the other hand is a fastball and sinker-led profile that’s running an xwOBACON pushing .500, a teammate who has been caught multiple times showing up his teammates on the field, including Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo, and an ERA north of 6.00.

Well, at least Minnesota didn’t give up mu…I’m sorry what’s that? They gave up an outfielder who just posted a 17% barrel rate and 108.7 EV90 as an 18 year-old on the Complex as a lottery ticket? Who, with a hot final two months could see T100 consideration?

FanDuel still has the Twins as extreme underdogs to win the AL Central (+650) and even longer odds at making the postseason (+1300). These deals do not do anything to help.

Oops.

8/1: And we’re off

Guardians send off Bo to Brewers, snag Yoho in return

INITIAL REACTION: …are the Brewers gonna do it again…? Naturally, fear trekked down my spine. Jake Bauers, Jesus Aguilar ring any bells? No? Okay, me either…

Milwaukee will see Bo as a solid defensive, athletic backstop with a smooth swing who routinely underperformed his expected stats. Under the hood, Naylor should be so much better. The reality was he routinely fell short offensively and defensively. Milwaukee also snags Codi Heuer here, a depth relief piece who never really got much time in Cleveland.

Cleveland has a real chance to get a big win here. Craig Yoho is a solid reliever with potential to be very good. Yoho adjusted his four-seam grip to a true two-seam grip to throw a more natural sinker, ditching his four-seamer entirely, and it’s paid off well. Prior to 7/20, Yoho was still primarily throwing his fastball with a 4-seam grip over 32% of the time. Since then, he’s thrown it 5% of the time with the sinker completely taking over. The sinker generates better drop and tunnels better with his outlier, freakish changeup, and now Cleveland gets to figure out what the sweeper holds.

Ideally Cleveland is not done at this point…hopefully.

Pirates buy low on Doval

INITIAL REACTION: Good deal for both sides? The Yankees badly needed to get Doval away from Aaron Boone. They no longer have to feel compelled to go to the flamethrower who can’t prevent runs late in games. The Pirates, on the flip side, are buying low on what was once a good reliever, and they’re going to hope they can take the final stretch this season to correct some issues to get him ready for next season(?).

The Yankees get back Omar Alfonzo, a Rule-5 eligible catcher who is pretty fringy here. The real interesting piece here is Luis Cruz, a lanky outfielder with capable bat-to-ball skills. The Yankees are banking on physical development to bring along some power to his profile. Overall, this is about all New York could expect, and I think they did well enough.

Braves add short-side platoon in Thomas

INITIAL REACTION: I’ll keep this one short and sweet. Right-handed hitters are going to be at a premium price this deadline. They simply are scarce. The Braves, badly needing a right-handed outfield bat, found one in Lane Thomas. A near 50% hard-hit rate against lefties with a big air-pull approach, and they gave up two pitchers in Braun and Holton who have subpar stuff and can’t get whiffs. Kansas City did not realize they had a bigger chip until it was too late.

Pale Sox add innings eater in Seattle salary dump

INITIAL REACTION: A good deal for both sides here. Castillo is far from his old self, and the White Sox were willing to eat the salary just to get some help in the rotation. In doing so, the big piece they part with here Seranthony Dominguez, their big bullpen signing who hasn’t quite lived up to the money. For Seattle, they don’t get much in return, but they trade from immense starting pitching depth and shed over $31,000,000 owed to Castillo (and possibly more), who had met his decline sharply, especially against left-handed hitters. Seattle gets a living, breathing outfield piece in Nolan Jones, Boston Smith, a catcher walking over 20% of the time in Double-A, and Dominguez, who will slot into the middle innings of a very solid bullpen that’s top five in baseball in ERA.

Tigers bite the bullet, move Skubal to Los Angeles

INITIAL REACTION: It finally happened, and naturally it’s the Dodgers. Detroit, the season’s biggest underachievers in a landslide, moved their prized ace and reigning two-time Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal late at night. In return, the Dodgers land Zyhir Hope, a near consensus top-40 prospect, River Ryan, an older prospect for a few reasons who possesses some of the best stuff across the minor leagues, and Brady Smith, a right-handed pitcher.

I’ve seen a lot of bad faith talk about this trade. This is where I stand. As you can tell by the B- grade, I like this return for Detroit.

It’s among the heaviest packages ever given up for a rental player, let alone arm. Yes, a rental. That’s key here. This is not quite Tarik Skubal of old, but he’s still good. Skubal’s fastball is down a full tick as you can see here, thanks to TJStats, and from start to start, that can fluctuate even further. He still gets plenty of swing and miss, and if a team is going to find more even after the injury, it will be the Dodgers, but for a rental arm with questionable medicals, to say the least, they gave up a pretty penny to get it done. Now, that’s not to say Detroit couldn’t have done better with LA. Sirota and De Paula are still safe and sound atop this system, as is Zazueta, but it doesn’t sound like the competition was very fierce. Milwaukee and Tampa Bay are reportedly among teams scared away by Skubal’s medicals which, for a 2.5 month rental, doesn’t seem like a huge issue unless they see his arm as a ticking time bomb right now.

At the end of the day, the Dodgers aren’t making moves unless it can help their championship odds. Skubal is one of the few pieces who do. Over at FanDuel, their odds have increased up to +160, ridiculous odds given the sport we’re playing here, but that’s where we’re at. Yamamoto-Skubal-Ohtani-Snell-Glasnow. Wow.

8/2: Arms, arms, arms

Braves snag Mahle

INITIAL REACTION: The Braves get what they needed here, and that’s some rotation extending innings from an arm they think they can rework into his old self. They give up next to nothing here, but the Giants at least get something mildly interesting in return with 24 year-old Anthony Molina. Molina’s stuff has improved a bit recently with a reliever’s arsenal. Again, Mahle underwhelmed pretty heavily with the Giants, so any level of return would have just been welcomed.

Yankees snag biggest bat available for arms

INITIAL REACTION: Luis Garcia Jr. chases a lot, but he also leads the NL in SLG and thrives when he pulls the ball. Now, he will be in Yankee Stadium pulling the ball. Easy win for the Yankees, who can now platoon Garcia with Goldschmidt and let Ben Rice DH full-time. A good lineup in need of someone in the middle of it without Judge got their guy. In return, the Nats got four arms: relievers Yovanny Cruz and Jake Bird, and prospects Ben Grable and Jack Cebert.

Cruz is the immediate helper here. He’s looked dominant in Triple-A and in his short stint with the Yankees, averaging 100 on his fastball with a 90 mph slider to pair with it. Cruz was running a whiff rate north of 40% across his entire arsenal in Triple-A. Jake Bird is a reclamation throw-in for a bullpen in immediate need of help. Washington is closer to contending than most and believe in their ability to replace Garcia’s bat, but arms is where they’ve been hurt the most, so this kind of a swing makes sense here. Grable is also a reliever with big stuff who has dominated Double-A. Cebert is the lone starter here, and he also possesses big stuff. He needs to clean up some things mechanically, but he has good potential.

This is a good return for the Nats, but it does feel light. Garcia Jr. comes with 1.5 years of control and big SLG ability, and while the Nats revitalized their future bullpen here, they could have squeezed more out here. The Yankees come out of this with +600 odds to reach the World Series, per FanDuel.

Rays miss out on Skubal, snag rental Peralta

INITIAL REACTION: I love this for the Rays, what a rebound from not landing Skubal. Yes, Peralta has not been typical Freddy Peralta, but he’s going back to the confines of a dome (the dome boost is real, folks). Peralta has just has had a brutal year. All that being said, his 4.99 ERA is over a full run above his xERA of 3.79, and his stuff is still very good. His usage is still largely the same, but again, a dome bump does wonders, just ask Bryan Woo. I am all in on this move. Great snag from Tampa Bay, they needed another top third of rotation arm.

For the Mets, the return mirrors Peralta’s season for them. Underwhelming. Gill Hill is a groundball creator on the mound with little whiff capability, Smith is an outfield prospect whose swing mechanics are leading to struggles with velocity, and Emilien Pitre, the prize of this return, has great contact skills and approach but 30-grade power.

Cubs dip into pitching market, nab Gausman

INITIAL REACTION: Another good rental haul, and this may be the best of the bunch outside of Skubal. Gausman is still quite good, the Cubs were in dire need of pitching, and they gave up two glove-first, contact centered profiles to get it. Gausman still induces a ton of chase, above average whiff, and the 4-seam/splitter combo is still nasty. The Cubs were needing not just more starter innings, but innings from someone they can start in a postseason game, and Gausman fits the bill across all fronts.

8/3: Deadline Day

Arraez to Philly, moving parts to follow

INITIAL REACTION: Arraez and relief help benefit the Phillies, but where does he play? It sounds like Harper is moving back to the outfield, which is…a decision, and Alec Bohm moves to 1B. The Phillies now go from Harper’s power at 1B to the worst 1B production in baseball. Again, lots of moving parts here. Arraez’s bat presents quality contact ability and more notably, little swing and miss, something that has plagued Philadelphia’s postseason runs.

I love this return for the Giants. Ramon Marquez is a fringe-top 100 prospect in baseball (he’s in mine). He possesses a good sinker that acts more like a 2-seamer that generates good run without sacrificing vertical pace, but the plus changeup and good command are what highlight this profile. Gair is a reliever with an extreme overtop release and huge vertical fastball. It sits 98, touches 100, and borders on double-plus. San Francisco flipped their pitching depth within the system through the draft. They’ve now bolstered it in a huge way.

Phillies get badly needed relief help, nab Raley from Queens

INITIAL THOUGHTS: The Phillies needed bullpen help yesterday, and they were in even bigger need for a lefty. Enter the most prominent LOOGY equivalent arm this deadline, Brooks Raley. It’s a rental, but the Phillies needed this in the worst way.

The Mets get outfielder John Spikerman, a contact/speed/defense prospect whose speed is true double-plus, and RHP Luke Gabrysh, a sidearm starter who has good stuff and has seen a spike in strikeout stuff this season. The Mets do very well here considering it’s a divisional move. Gabrysh has reliever risk, but the stuff works well, and if he can continue to improve command, starting until he can’t isn’t off the table here.

M’s need OF help, get Ward

INITIAL REACTION: The profile overhaul for Ward scares me. In with passivity and higher OBP, out with the SLG. How much does Wall-timore contribute to this? Time will tell, but given how flawed the Mariners are offensively, bringing in a flawed bat like Ward is a terrifying premise. Do we trust he can rekindle power in one of the hardest home parks to slug in? I don’t.

In return, Baltimore nets reliever Alex Hoppe, a big velo/stuff reliever who Baltimore sees as someone they can get more strikes out of, Harrison Kreiling who hasn’t thrown a ton of innings, and Brock Moore, a reliever with a plus fastball and quality slider who has some funk to his motion. Baltimore does well here.

Jays shock everyone, trade Nimmala for Jose Soriano

INITIAL REACTION: A terrific trade for both sides here. Nimmala has made major strides this season to not only rekindle his top prospect status but even rise back into the consensus top-50 area, and even after moving Kevin Gausman, Toronto goes out and gets Jose Soriano, a pitcher in his prime with years of control who goes from the worst defense in baseball to the best. Soriano runs a groundball rate north of 50%, and he will go from Neto and co. along the infield to platinum-caliber defense with Andres Gimenez and Ernie Clement.

There are some warts in Soriano’s profile, namely his walk rate, but the curveball is among the very best in the sport, and he compliments that with a power sinker and splitter. A huge get for the Jays to bolster around Dylan Cease in the rotation.

Guards land bat, get Adell for Cozart

INITIAL REACTION: Considering the expected price of the short-side platoon bat, the Guardians did great here, trading from a position of depth to land the biggest power bat of the bunch in Jo Adell. Adell is far from perfect, but over the last two seasons, his 151 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers is a top-10 mark in the sport. Adell will generate no value elsewhere, thus this being a B-grade and no higher, but considering the price, they did quite well here.

The flip side of this is the Angels. I thought they could have gotten more, but they need catching in the worst way and nabbed a riser in Jacob Cozart. Cozart was a glove-first catcher upon being drafted, and the Guardians have done a good job developing him into a more well-rounded profile, selling high on him here. This is well done all-around, more importantly by Cleveland’s front office.

Rays net Liam Hicks

INITIAL REACTION: While this won’t be the big catcher trade of the day, the Rays net bat-first backstop, Liam Hicks, from the Marlins, sending over a trio of prospects. Hicks is under control through 2030, and in return, Miami will get a resurgent Brayden Taylor whose swing changes have revitalized his career, RHP Jacob Kisting, a big strikeout arm with good command, and infielder Adrian Santana, whose contact skills are highly touted.

With Joe Mack ready to take over everyday duties as a plus defender, Miami traded from depth and did well here. Good trade for both sides.

Pirates push chips in, get their closer

INITIAL REACTION: Great, great job from Pittsburgh here. The Pirates sell high on white hot Sammy Stafura, netting them Luke Weaver who will immediately slot in as their closer. Weaver has had a return to form with the Mets and was the prize reliever at this deadline. Pittsburgh got him without giving up any of their coveted prospects, instead sending power hitting shortstop Sammy Stafura. Stafura had a crazy last two months, but his chase and whiff tendencies are hard to overlook here. The Mets not being able to land a Murf Gray or Wyatt Sanford is a bit underwhelming here, but Stafura has more than risen his stock.

Brewers land May, Romero, pay heavy price

INITIAL REACTION: Our one and only A+. The division tax is a heavy price. Alexander Frias feels like he’s on the cusp of breaking out into one of the best prospects in baseball. The Baseball America ranking at 100 feels light. FanGraphs has him within the top-50. Prospects Live is incredibly high on him. On top of that, they nabbed outfielder Josiah Ragsdale, another riser into the fringe-top 100 territory. All of this for rental Jojo Romero and possible rental Dustin May. The positive here is both May and Romero make the Brewers immediately better, but it’s incredibly difficult to get past the cost.

Sox land Rutschman in blockbuster trade

INITIAL REACTION: Boston bolsters their lineup with Rutschman who, while not quite who he once was, is still a very good player. The price, however, was steep. Again, these divisional trades! Rutschman nets Baltimore Anthony Eyanson, a legitimate top-50, and rising, pitcher, Kyson Witherspoon who is inside BA’s top-100, Enddy Azocar, a pull-side monster having a breakout season in High-A, and major league catcher Carlos Narvaez.

Woah, that’s really all I can say. Both sides do well here, Baltimore does better. Adley is a culture changer for Boston. Have to be willing to weed out the bad, however, so does Duran get moved?

Guards land a starter, nab Foster Griffin from Nats

INITIAL THOUGHTS: The trade that puts the Guardians over the edge for an overwhelmingly good deadline. Griffin slots into the middle of this rotation right away, and it moves Slade Cecconi to a bullpen role, deepening that unit as well. As for the Nats, I fully get what they’re doing here in identifying traits that they like, but at some point quality > quantity does have to factor in, even for a rental. Hartle does not induce swing and miss, but he thrives on groundballs, Dion is a solid reliever ceiling, Virguez has a super fun fastball but is a definitive reliever, and Nick Mitchell’s ceiling is OF4. The Guardians nab Griffin for nothing that affects their future plans even slightly.

OTHER TRADES

  • Cubs land RP Ryan Zeferjahn for C Moises Ballesteros, RHP Mason McGwire
  • Blue Jays get INF Josh Smith, RHP Josh Stephan; Rangers get LHP Adam Macko; White Sox get C Joey Bart; Braves get RHP Duncan Davitt
  • Astros get OF Daulton Varsho for RHP Spencer Arrighetti

MLB trade deadline winners and losers: Dodgers, Red Sox and Phillies all in

It was a dizzying day of activity, and when the smoke cleared after the Major League Baseball trade deadline, we learned who’s actually serious about challenging the Los Angeles Dodgers, and which teams are the pretenders.

We found that Craig Breslow, president of baseball operations for the Boston Red Sox, maybe isn’t so hell-bent on analytics after all, showing his guts by trading away his prized prospects for Baltimore Orioles All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman.

We discovered that the Cleveland Guardians aren’t going to just sit back and let the Chicago White Sox dream season continue without putting up a fight with their surprising show of aggressiveness, not only grabbing much-needed offensive help, but bolstering their rotation.

We now know that Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno has found his permanent GM by permitting John Mozeliak to make as many trades as he desired, overhauling the farm system in a matter of six hours.

Tarik Skubal is set to make his Dodgers debut on Aug. 4.

And we learned that while the Dodgers may be that immovable force in their way of a World Series, it didn’t stop A.J. Preller of the San Diego Padres from finding a way to fortify their rotation with two front-line starters without needing to trade away a piece of their prized bullpen.

It will take years before we know whether any of the prospects will come back to haunt the men who traded them away, but only two months to know whether the risk pays off by playing deep in October.

Here are the top five winners and losers at this year’s deadline:

MLB trade deadline winners

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers not only won the MLB trade deadline, but ran away and hid from the competition.

They got the No. 1 prize in Tarik Skubal, and didn’t give up a single major-league player or anyone that will haunt them in the future. They didn’t give up any of their top five prospects, sending outfielder Zyhir Hope (25th-best prospect in MLB), right-handed pitcher River Ryan (No. 68) and right-hander Brady Smith.

They struck gold, once again.

Just to rub it in, they even grabbd left-handed former All-Star starter Kris Bubic, who’s on the 60-day injured list, stashing him away for good measure. They even grabbed catching depth by bringing back Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia from the Tampa Bay Rays

Their biggest concern the rest of the season is planning the World Series parade route.

“We were of the mind to be aggressive for one player this deadline," said Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, “and fortunately we were able to line up.”

The Dodgers now have a starting rotation of Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Justin Wrobleski, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow and Emmet Sheehan.

“I think it’s arguably the best rotation of all time," Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing gushed.

So, are the Dodgers really ruining baseball with their latest heist?

“Passionately disagree,” Friedman said at the Dodgers’ press conference following the Skubal trade. “Again, this is about the partnership that we have with our fans who come out 50,000 large and the passion that they have for this team (and) the guys in that clubhouse who are doing everything they can to put us in position to win a World Series.”

Indeed, they have.

Boston Red Sox

Say hello to the new American League pennant favorite.

They could have stopped when they traded starter Connelly Early for Curtis Mead last week, only to see Mead break his wrist in his second at-bat.

Instead, they still went for the jugular, and traded for Baltimore Orioles three-time All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman, the No. 1 pick in 2019, along with backup catcher Jake Rogers. They also acquired Giants left-handed reliever Erik Miller for former first-round pick Marcelo Mayer, and outfielder Eli White from Atlanta.

Not bad for the hottest team on the planet, who just swept the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Rutschman, who made the All-Star team this year, is hitting .251 with eight homers, but has been on the injured list since July 18 with wrist inflammation. Still, he’s expected to return within a couple of weeks and provides a massive upgrade behind the plate. Certainly, the Red Sox needed catching help, hitting an MLB-low four home runs with the sixth-worst OPS from the catcher’s position.

It was a steep, steep price, which stunned rival executives that the Red Sox were willing to include them in the deal:

Right-handed pitcher Anthony Eyanson, their second-best prospect; right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon, their fourth-best prospect; outfielder Enddy Azocar, their fifth-best prospect; a player to be named later; and catcher Carlos Narvaez.

Hey, with the way the Red Sox are playing, why not go for it?

They have now won 23 of their last 26 games, and are 28-5 since June 25.

Whether they win the AL East or not, they should be the team to beat in the American League, and face the Dodgers in the World Series, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledging Sunday he may have not seen the last of them.

“Really good ballclub," Roberts says. “Really fundamentally sound. It’s a younger group as far as service time. They’re hungry. Seems like they play well together. They can really defend. They’re athletic. Remind me a lot of the Brewers. They can really pitch. They don’t beat themselves. Dynamic.”

Philadelphia Phillies

They went into the trade deadline looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder.

They ended up with a left-handed hitting infielder, who just happened to be the finest contact hitter in the game:

Luis Arraez, the three-time batting champion, was hitting .324 this season for the San Francisco Giants with only 21 strikeouts in 464 plate appearances.

It required the Phillies to send No. 4 prospect Ramon Marquez to San Francisco along with reliever Marty Gair, but the Phillies also received right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian. The biggest gamble is that the Phillies have to re-arrange virtually their entire infield while sending first baseman Bryce Harper back to right field for the first time in two years.

Second baseman Bryson Stott is moving to third base. Third baseman Alec Bohm is moving to first base. And Harper is moving to right field.

It will be fascinating to see it work, but the Phillies knew they had to shake things up, and it’s a shrewd gamble.

They also shored up their bullpen by acquiring Mets’ lefty Brooks Raley, too, after losing setup man Mitch Keller for the season.

San Diego Padres

The Padres, who a week ago were listening to offers for closer Mason Miller and setup man Adrian Morejon, not only shut down all conversations, but acquired veteran Robbie Ray from the Giants and Casey Mize and utilityman Gage Workman from the Tigers.

Oh, were you really going to believe A.J. Preller was going to punt on a season?

“We’re trying to win," Preller said. “We don’t apologize for it. We’re trying to win championships. We’re trying to get to the postseason and do it year after year.’’

Ray, the former Cy Young winner and two-time All-Star is pitching just about better than anyone in baseball these days. He’s 6-0 with an MLB-best 1.09 ERA in his last eight games (seven starts) since June 16, striking out 41 batters 49 ⅓ innings. Only once during this stretch has he permitted more than one run.

Casey Mize is healthy, and dominating. He is 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA over his last five starts, giving up just 19 hits and striking out 27 in 28 ⅔ innings.

The Padres knew they couldn’t go all year with just two starters, having already moved three of their starting pitchers for 11-man bullpen, with Michael King and Walker Buehler as their only traditional starters.

Now, they have added two frontline starters, and two more that could join them late this month in Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta, who are beginning rehab assignments Tuesday. They’ll likely be back in the postseason, winners of a wild-card berth, and will take their chances with the nastiest bullpen in the land.

Los Angeles Angels

John Mozeliak not only orchestrated the most aggressive trade deadline in recent Angels’ history, he just earned the right to stay as their permanent GM.

Scrub the interim title. It will become permanent.

Clearly, Mozeliak has earned the trust of Angels owner Arte Moreno, earning the right to make any trade he wanted outside of moving Mike Trout.

The Angels were one of the busiest teams at the deadline, making five trades across the landscape, including three controllable players. They traded right-handed starter Jose Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays, outfielder Jo Adell to the Cleveland Guardians, reliever Ryan Zeferjahn to the Chicago Cubs, and veteran relievers Brent Suter to Atlanta and Kirby Yates to Pittsburgh.

They received nine prospects in return, highlighted by prized shortstop Arjun Nimmala from Toronto, who’s ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 43rd-overall prospect. Mozeliak even listened on shortstop Zach Neto and starter Reid Detmers, but “wasn’t comfortable,’’ with any of the offers.

Trout, who had no interest in waiving his no-trade clause, was not talked about during the day.

MLB trade deadline losers

Detroit Tigers

This was a team that was supposed to be in the World Series this year, maybe even ending their 42-year drought.

They spent a franchise-record with their $220 million payroll. They signed Framber Valdez to a free-agent contract. And they kept two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.

Now, just 2 ½ games out of a wild-card spot, they panicked. And surrendered.

They dumped Skubal.

They got three nice prospects, but none of the Dodgers’ top five prospects.

Rival executives were surprised that the Tigers didn’t wait until the last hours, seeing if the Brewers would increase their offer, or someone else would jump in.

They instead took the Dodgers’ offer 48 hours before the deadline. Why so early? Why not create a bidding war?

Yet, instead of continuing to dump, they went halfway.

They traded starter Casey Mize at the buzzer. But they kept infielder Gleyber Torres. And reliever Kyle Finnegan. And closer Kenley Jansen.

So they can tell their fans they’re still kind of going for it, even though they just gave away the best pitcher in the American League.

Make it make sense.

New York Yankees

The Yankees told the world they badly wanted a catcher, desperately sought a back-end reliever, and offensive help.

Well, after acquiring infielder/outfielder Luis Garcia Jr. from the Washington Nationals on Sunday, they traded for defensively-challenged outfielder Heliot Ramos from the San Francisco Giants.

And, believe it or not, that was it.

Oh, they talked to the Orioles about Adley Rutschman. They tried to pry catcher Ryan Jeffers from Minnesota. They were in plenty of conversations about another late reliever.

And came away empty-handed.

The Yankees are going to have to hang onto dear life just to make the playoffs. They’re not going to catch the Tampa Bay Rays. They're probably going to get caught by the Boston Red Sox.

They are praying on a return to health from Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger.

Privately, the Yankees will tell you they are much more concerned than they’re conveying publicly about Judge, and are terrified that he might not be able to return this year from his fractured rib.

And if Judge doesn’t come back, well, then maybe it doesn’t really matter that the Yankees didn’t do much.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks, who have surged into the second wild-card spot, told everyone they hoped to be aggressive at the trade deadline. They wanted at least one starter, a big bat, and another late-inning reliever.

The only bat they received was St. Louis Cardinals left-handed hitting outfielder Lars Nootbaar. He happens to be hitting .234 with three homers and 16 RBIs.

That was it.

The Diamondbacks got Nootbaar, but look at what the three teams did who they’re battling for a wild-card berth:

Let’s see, the Phillies traded for a three-time batting champion. The Padres grabbed two front-line starters. And the Cubs acquired multple starters and relievers.

The Diamondbacks just might be going into this wild-card war with a squirt gun.

Milwaukee Brewers

They may be considered a loser at the trade deadline, but come on, you know they’ll get the last laugh.

They always do.

The Brewers, who have the best farm system in baseball, bid on Tarik Skubal, but fell short when they refused to include their top prospects.

They could have jumped on the top starters available, or some of the relievers, but instead settled on Colorado Rockies reliever Antonio Senzatela, St. Louis Cardinals starter Dustin May and left-handed reliever JoJo Romero.

Senzatela, 9-2, 3.61 ERA, has been one of the best right-handed relievers this year. May has been wildly erratic, but has talent, and was yielding a 2.54 ERA and averaging 6.19 innings during a 12-start stretch. Romero was considered the top left-handed setup man last year with a 2.07 ERA, but is now on the injured list after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in mid-July.

When the trade deadline ended, you figured the Brewers would certainly do more, particularly considering the rival Cubs went out and were one of the day’s most aggressive buyers.

Oh, the Brewers could still win the most games in baseball. They might even be able to hold off the Cubs in the NL Central. But come on, how are they ever going to knock off the Dodgers?

Atlanta

See the Brewers.

No one expected them to go out and trade for Tarik Skubal, although man, can you imagine him and Chris Sale together?

Still, folks still expected them to grab another top starter on the market.What do they do?

They acquired starter Tyler Mahle (3-9, 5.13 ERA) from the Giants and veteran Brent Suter (1-2,4.12 ERA) from the Angels, and right-handed reliever Tyler Uberstine from the Red Sox, who spent most of the season in the minors.

That was it.

And no one was more thankful than the Phillies, who are trying to chase them down.

See ya next year.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB trade deadline winners and losers: Dodgers, Red Sox and Phillies all in

Breaking down the Mets’ return for Luke Weaver

Daytona Tortugas' Sammy Stafura trots to home plate to score during a game with the Palm Beach Cardinals at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Friday, June 27, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

With their lower value trade chips gone on deadline day, the Mets moved on to trading players with more significant value. The Pirates were the eventual landing spot for the first of these deals, landing Luke Weaver— along with some coverage of his contract—for infield prospect Sammy Stafura.

Stafura was drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft by the Reds out of Walter Panas High School. Two years later, he was traded to Pittsburgh as part of a deadline deal for Ke’Bryan Hayes. Stafura is actually a lifelong Mets fan from Westchester, the second local product (after Gary Gill Hill, acquired from the Rays in the Freddy Peralta trade) acquired by the Mets at this deadline. It is always cool when you can bring in players who are enthusiastic about the organization.

As for the on-field player, Stafura is your classic toolsy middle infielder; he has plus speed, is a decent shortstop defender, and has plus potential raw power. His on field performance prior to June of 2026 could best be described as “good, but not great”. Then he hit 16 homers in his last 22 games at High-A Greensboro. That’s something that should certainly grab your attention.

With the upside that performance portends comes serious hit tool questions. Stafura is striking out almost 30% of the time in High-A, is running a 71% Z-contact, and has a clear propensity to chase. This all portends to serious hit tool and/or pitch recognition issues, flaws that could be crippling as he moves up the minor league ladder. This weakness will likely him keep him at the back-end or just off offseason top-100 lists (a distinction that is largely meaningless from those that sneak on to the back of the list).

Sometimes guys with big tools and serious hit tool questions have a huge month with no root cause beyond statistical noise. Sometimes it’s the product of actual changes that are real and sustainable. Parsing whether Stafura’s recent surge – which pushed his OPS at High-A from the high 500s into the 1.000+ range – is the former or the latter is nigh impossible for us on the public side. Hell, it’s not even all that easy for team-side analysts to figure out. What this does serve to illustrate is the high risk, high reward nature of this profile.

How you feel about this return largely comes down to personal preference. In terms of objective, consensus value, this is a solid return for a reliever of Weaver’s caliber signed to a roughly market-rate deal. If you like power-over-hit profiles, you probably like this deal more (and you likely less the Freddy Peralta deal less). If, like me, you prefer the opposite sort of hitter, you’ll like this deal a bit less.

We’ll have full grades for every deadline deal the Mets make once all the moves for the deadline have been made. Check back in for those next week.

Giants call up 5 players after deadline trades

Blade Tidwell throwing a pitch.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 28: San Francisco Giants pitcher Blade Tidwell #46 is shown during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants on April 28th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants traded six players off of their Major League roster between Sunday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres and Monday’s series opener against the Texas Rangers. And so, naturally, after parting ways with Luis Arráez, Heliot Ramos, Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, Erik Miller, and Caleb Kilian, the Giants had some work to do just to field a team tonight.

And so they added five players to the roster, all of whom were already on the 40-man roster, and have already played in the Majors this year. Replacing the four pitchers are righties Blade Tidwell, Tristan Beck, and Carson Seymour, and lefty Reiver Sanmartin. Tidwell wil start Tuesday’s game. And replacing Arráez is infielder Buddy Kennedy, who was claimed off of waivers from the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

For those doing the math at home, that only gives the Giants 25 players on their 26-man roster. That’s not allowed under normal circumstances, but trades are exceptions to the rule. According to beat reporter Alex Pavlovic, the Giants are planning to add an outfielder tomorrow to replace Ramos. Their options there are limited, with Jonah Cox — who only just played his fourth rehab game yesterday — the only healthy player on the 40-man roster. But with four open spots on the 40-man — without even accounting for the three spots that will open up when the team transfers Casey Schmitt, Trevor McDonald, and Harrison Bader to the 60-Day IL — the Giants can afford to either make a waiver claim, or roster a player like Turner Hill or Parks Harber.

Why Mets didn't deal Luis Robert Jr. ahead of 2026 MLB trade deadline

The Mets were long rumored to have been looking to move on from at least seven different players ahead of this year’s MLB trade deadline.

By the time 6 p.m. struck, they were able to part ways with six of them. 

New York moved all of their expiring contracts and two pieces with control, but they could not find a new home for outfielder Luis Robert Jr. 

They reportedly shopped Robert, but ultimately didn’t strike a deal. Without getting into too many details on specific negotiations, president of baseball operations David Stearns explained the decision to keep him through the end of the season.

“I think with Luis, it’s the possibility of what he can do for us in the second half,” he said. “The understanding that there is a club option and the excitement of having him here for the next two months of the season.”

Along with the $20 million option, Robert is owed $6.5 million for the rest of this year. 

The oft-injured slugger was also forced to the sidelines for a significant stretch again, which likely played a factor in matching up with a potential partner. 

He’s hitting just .197 with seven XBH’s and a .610 OPS through 35 games this year. 

Robert will have the final few months to build some value if he can keep himself on the field, but the Mets are all but certain to decline that option at the end of the year. 

Controllable starting pitching? 

Even in sell mode, Stearns and the Mets considered adding.

He said that they spoke with several clubs about controllable starting pitching available on the market,
but they ultimately could not match up with anyone on their asking price. 

The controllable arms moved include Jose Soriano (Angels), Braxton Garrett (Marlins), and Luis Castillo (Mariners).  

Alex Anthopoulos maintains that Braves “got better” despite underwhelming 2026 Trade Deadline

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 18: Atlanta Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos speaks to the media before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Truist Park on July 18, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I’m going to start this by addressing the headline. When it comes to Atlanta Braves President of Baseball Operations/General Manager Alex Anthopoulos’ claims that the Braves got better after the 2026 Trade Deadline, I’ll let this clip from Futurama speak for me:

I mean, the Braves did add Tyler Mahle to the rotation, they added some very solid outfield depth in Lane Thomas and they brought in Brent Suter to help fortify what’s already a solid bullpen. Technically speaking, the Braves got better with these additions.

With that being said, it’s very difficult to feel excited and that is solely down to the fact that Atlanta was unable to add a front-line starter to their rotation. It now appears that (outside of the ever-reliable Chris Sale) the Braves will be leaning on pitchers like Martín Pérez, AJ Smith-Shawver, Bryce Elder, (maybe) Spencer Schwellenbach and the newly-acquired Tyler Mahle to help them get outs during a Postseason scenario. Again, it’s difficult to feel excited!

Despite the overwhelming feeling of underwhelm permeating across Braves Country, AA remained defiant and adamant that everything is A-OK as far as the team is concerned. “Since the All-Star break, […] we’ve been fifth in MLB in ERA. During the first two months of the season we were top-five in MLB in ERA,” maintained AA when he was asked about the pitching staff during a post-deadline press conference. . “Obviously in the middle, we weren’t. Does that mean you’re not looking to get better? Absolutely, in all areas — bullpen, offense, rotation, yes. But, you’re managing short-term and long term and you’re going to do what you feel is best for the club and you’re not going to force a deal.”

“We said no to a lot of things,” continued AA. “That’s not easy to do but you have to do what feels right for the organization.”

AA was pressed multiple times about whether or not he was close to acquiring a front-end starter or if there were certain things that got in the way. Anthopoulos was cagier than usual in his responses, stating that it wouldn’t be appropriate to talk about deals that didn’t get done. I’m guessing that’s a recent development since we did hear about the Kyle Schwarber deal from 2021 that didn’t go through and that was straight from AA himself, so maybe there’s a statute of limitations on that?

I digress, though. The only thing that came of that line of questioning is that AA had his eye on “one other guy who we thought was incredibly impactful” but no names were named. Either way, Anthopoulos continued to maintain that he’s willing to defend the state of the big league roster at the moment. He did mention that the Braves are playing well coming out of the break and that they’re in first place. That much is true — the Braves are in a good spot right now and it’s hard to envision them falling off to the point where they miss the Postseason.

Still, it’s also hard to envision this team having enough reliable starting pitching to make it deep into the Postseason. They certainly have the relief pitching to do it and when this offense is clicking, they can swing with anybody. It’s just apparent at this point that the lineup will have to perform at an elite level and the bullpen is going to have to continue shouldering a heavy load if this team is going to make a deep run in October. With all due respect to the aforementioned starters, there just isn’t a ton of confidence here.

Alex Anthopoulos (at least publicly) still has plenty of faith in the club. “How many times do we say ‘This team won the deadline […]’ and then you look up and certain players were unbelievable and certain players didn’t play well. That’s the toughest part — from here on forward, we’re looking at two-month sample sizes,” explained AA later on in the presser. “We can look at the back of the baseball cards of some of these great players and say […] that ‘this team on paper looks great’ and then all of a sudden performances change and health [changes].”

“We’re going to soon find out what were the best acquisitions […] We’re going to find that out pretty soon,” continued AA. “I just think that you’ve got 29 other clubs and you know your own roster, your fit. Ultimately, you’ve got to give to get and ultimately, are you prepared […] to give what could be the [Michael] Harris [II]s or the [Drake] Baldwins. Are you willing to do that?”

AA continued by stating “In some instances, we make trades and others, we hold them back. We look back over time and we cross check ourselves. But, to sit there and say ‘This team did X,’ it doesn’t always work out that way. It doesn’t always work out that way with the projections. I don’t know what the preseason projections were for all these teams but I don’t know how accurate they were. I know there are changes every year. There are some teams that sold that people expected them to be good and there are some teams that are buying that didn’t think that they’d be contending.”

“I don’t think anybody’s good enough to know what’s going to happen,” concluded AA. “But, you are expected to know your own team and your own organization when you’re trading young players.”

Hearing that, it suddenly made sense why we saw that wave of promotions on the farm. That honestly should’ve been the initial sign that the Braves weren’t going to dip into the farm and trade away some potentially impactful prospects. While that would’ve made sense considering what the asking price was for some of the big names who did move and some of the players who were under team control past this season, it’s still certainly disappointing that the Braves didn’t come away from this deadline having used that talent on the farm to potentially upgrade their rotation in any major way.

Despite the lack of moves, AA is still convinced the team has gotten better and also stated that he’s not fully focusing on the Postseason until “we get there.” “Hopefully we get there […] We still have two months. There’s a long way to go — there’s going to be injuries the next two months for everybody. You’re still weighing all of those things [when it comes to getting outs in the Postseason]. We’ve seen teams do all kinds of things with openers and short starts and bullpen games, guys going on short rest, we’ve seen that happen,” explained AA. “Everything’s in play when you’re trying to win but you cross that bridge when you get there. The focus for us is that we’re playing well coming out of the break and we have a nice lead but it doesn’t mean a thing.”

“We’ve got another two months to go and the NL is very strong. There’s great teams and a lot of teams added (including us) and guys are going to continue to get better, so we have to make sure that we keep our foot on the gas and try to get to the playoffs,” stated Anthopoulos.

All of that sounds good and it does seem like AA has a nice line of communication with manager Walt Weiss when it comes to the roster and how it’s constructed but it’s still hard to weigh that with the inaction when it comes to the starting rotation. It’s not like this is a new problem, either — fans and media alike have been clamoring for some type of addition to the rotation since the early portion of last offseason and it still seemed like there was a chance to address that situation at the deadline even if they didn’t do so before Opening Day.

Instead, it sure seems like Alex Anthopoulos is convinced that the starting rotation will be good enough to get the Braves where they want to be by the end of the season. Now, there’s a question of whether or not the end-goal is actually to add another World Series trophy to the cabinet or if it’s to simply get back to the Postseason. If it’s the latter then sure, the Braves are likely going to have enough to make it back to October and should also have enough to get back to the top of the division.

If the goal is truly to win another World Series then it’s hard to envision this rotation helping to win one of those tough, gritty, low-scoring games where there’s a ton of drama hanging on every pitch, much less every out. We’ve got some bad memories around here of seeing this team’s pitching staff essentially get bombed out of the Postseason and hopefully that won’t be the case this season.

With that being said, it’s clear that it’s now going to take a Herculean effort from the lineup and some surgical precision from the bullpen in order to make sure that this team has truly got what it takes to make a deep run in October. For now, let’s hope that Alex Anthopoulos is right and that we’re all panicking. If he’s right, a parade may be coming soon. If he’s wrong then, well, enjoy the fireworks from the opposition once October rolls around. We’ll see what happens.

Grading the Detroit Tigers trade deadline moves

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 02: Tarik Skubal of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on in the dugout against the Boston Red Sox during the eigth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 02, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For all the drama surrounding the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, and the will they or won’t they position the Tigers were in as the trade deadline approached, the Detroit Tigers ultimately kept to just two notable trades. They got good value for both Skubal and Casey Mize, but at the same time didn’t really address their biggest weakness in their high leverage relief corps. As they still seem bent on trying to secure a wild card slot, it’s a bit of a peculiar mixed bag in terms of their intentions, but ultimately their trades have to be viewed as punting on the 2026 season without simply giving everything away to slash payroll. They had two valuable assets heading to free agency, and they did a solid job of cashing them in for good prospects with which to restock their farm system.

The Tigers currently have the 17th best odds of making the postseason and are +590 on FanDuel’s sportsbook to do so at the moment. FanGraphs is more optimistic, giving them a 22.6 percent chance of reaching the playoffs. It helps that they’re not entirely out of the divisional race, as well as having the shot at a wild card berth and currently just 2.5 games back of the final spot.

Those odds still aren’t great, and with Skubal and Mize out of the rotation, and no attempt to address the bullpen, those odds will also have to be adjusted to reflect the significantly weaker starting rotation they’ll be working with down the stretch. Ultimately, while the Tigers will say they’re still trying to make the postseason and will do what they can with what they have to do so, the totality of their moves adds up to capitulation without going whole hog and trying to dump the salaries of players like Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty, or Kenley Jansen.

Of course, teams have to want those players, and with Flaherty injured, and Jansen struggling, there wasn’t going to be much, if any, interest. Still, the decision not to deal Torres is the really interesting one. He wouldn’t return a whole lot in trade, but he’s also potentially blocking a currently hot-hitting prospect in Max Anderson. Perhaps Anderson will get the call anyway and they’ll simply piece together at-bats for the Anderson/Torres duo, but the best reason to keep Torres is to have that extra, professional right-handed bat in the lineup against the best teams in the postseason.

Overall, we’ll take the Tigers for what they did do, rather than trying to piece together why other moves weren’t pursued. The slightly mixed signals here make it tricky to figure out what they’re thinking in regard to their hopes to at least get into the postseason. The trades suggest a team throwing in the towel, and as sellers, they did pretty well overall. On the other hand, their proximity to a wild card berth, says they still have an outside shot. So declining to go after relief help was strange when that’s been the team’s main problem all season long. Whatever their intentions or hopes the rest of the season, they sold off talent and got quality prospect packages in return, and so we’ll grade them like a team that decided to cash in their chips rather than trying to sustain the momentum they built with their strong run in June and July. Threading the needle between selling and contending doesn’t appear to have been the plan at the end of the day.

Letter grades are a crude tool, but we’ll give the Tigers a solid B+ here. They didn’t land the dream package for Tarik Skubal, but they did better than many expected for a rental ace who hasn’t been at peak form for most of the 2026 season. The Casey Mize deal looks very good, especially as his injury issues have flared up again recently. The Padres may regret that one, and they have completely hollowed out their farm system in the process of adding Mize and lefty Robbie Ray from the Giants.

The Tigers didn’t quite land one of the top prospects the Dodgers could’ve offered, which would’ve taken this to an A grade, but that organization is so flush with top 100 outfielders that Zyhir Hope, despite drawing 50 and 55 grades depending on who you ask, wasn’t even one of their top three outfield prospects according to the major national prospect sites, at least. Either way, Hope is a really talented young player and will slot in as the Tigers top positional prospect over Bryce Rainer and Josue Briceño on many lists.

They chose the risk/reward play in River Ryan rather than holding out for a safer but significantly less talented starting pitcher like Emmet Sheehan or Justin Wrobleski, so they did take a chance there. The way their deadline work is viewed in retrospect may have a lot to do with whether the 27-year-old Ryan can ever stay on the mound consistently. Finally, they added two young pitching prospects in RHP Brady Smith and LHP Kash Mayfield who are still raw but talented enough to develop into mid-rotation starters within a few years time. Considering the lack of pitching development in the system over the past few years, this really improves their group of legitimate pitching prospects and, along with 2026 first round pick RHP Cameron Flukey, balances out the system pretty nicely at a point where a really strong young core of talent has already reached the Tigers major league roster.

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Orioles Trade Grades

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 07: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 07, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Orioles all but punted on the 2026 season by shipping away Adley Rutschman, Taylor Ward, and Tyler Wells. They declined to deal Trevor Rogers, but did not acquire any significant major league help. With Rutschman on the injured list, Ward failing to hit the long ball, and Wells unable to steady an unstable bullpen, there’s a case to be made that the team is not significantly worse than it was yesterday. That being said, Baltimore dealt away some good players to teams positioned above them in the Wild Card hunt.

Camden Chat has already recapped the majority of today’s moves, and there will be plenty of content over the following days. For now, we’ll assign a grade to each trade.

Alright, let’s rip the bandaid off…

  • Orioles Receive:  RHP Kyson Witherspoon, CF Enddy Azocar, C Carlos Narváez, RHP Anthony Eyanson and Player To Be Named Later
  • Red Sox Receive: C Adley Rutschman, C Jake Rogers and cash 
  • Grade: C-

They say C’s get degrees, but nobody really likes getting a C. If the Orioles were going to trade away Adley Rutschman—especially in the division—they needed to get a haul. Said haul featured Boston’s two best pitching prospects, an outfield prospect, an MLB catcher, and a PTBNL or Cash.

It doesn’t mean that you have to like it. The Orioles drafted Rutschman with the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. The backstop debuted in 2022. He never won a playoff a game. Somehow, the same executive was still in position to deal Rutschman away in 2026.

Rutschman felt like the keystone for a long-term rebuild. Mike Elias threw around terms like “liftoff” and “10-year window.” The Orioles won the division in 2023 and made the playoffs again in 2024. They crumbled last season and threw in the towel at the trade deadline this season.

Many felt the writing was on the wall after the Orioles inked 21-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year contract extension, but Baltimore made it work with two talented backstops this season. They could have made it work next year (Rutschman’s final season of control) too, but the Orioles took advantage of a seller’s market at catcher.

The Red Sox were clearly comfortable paying an in-the-division type of tax. MLB Pipeline immediately slotted the 21-year-old Anthony Eyanson as Baltimore’s top prospect. They ranked Kyson Witherspoon at six and CF Enddy Azocar at seven. Carlos Narváez was worth 2.8 WAR last season and will not become a free agent until 2031.

The deal also sent recent acquisition Jake Rogers and money to Boston. You can read Mark Brown’s initial reaction here.

Elias deserves all the heat in the world for letting things get to this point, but the significant return from Boston stopped me from busting out a failing grade. Trading Rutschman to a division rival with over a year of control is despicable. That being said, injuries have become a bit of a problem for the 28-year-old, and the 2027 season looks murky at best with a lockout looming.

  • Orioles Receive: RHP Alex Hoppe, RHP Brock Moore and RHP Harrison Kreiling
  • Mariners Receive: OF Taylor Ward
  • Grade: D+

Who the heck are these guys? Taylor Ward was marketed as one of the best right-handed bats on the market. In exchange for the future free agent, Baltimore received Hoppe (5.79 ERA in MLB), Kreiling (a 24-year-old pitcher with minimal experience after recovering from Tommy John), and Moore (a 26-year-old with a 5.56 ERA at Double-A. If there’s one thing to take away, it’s that the trio throws hard. MASN’s Brendan Mortensen noted that Hoppe’s fastball velocity ranks in the 93rd percentile and that Moore has a 42.1 K%.

This deal is an extension of the front office’s decision to give up on former top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez. Baltimore sent their former first-round pick to LA in exchange for less than one year of Ward. Ward never hit dingers, but he did get on base at a steady clip. Rodriguez has nearly an 8.00 ERA over 10 games with LA this season, but he’s under team control until 2030.

Would you have traded Rodriguez for a struggling reliever and two prospects ranked outside of Seattle’s Top 30 last offseason? To make matters worse, the Mariners are only a half game above Baltimore in the Wild Card race. This move represented the first indication that Baltimore would punt on the season despite sitting less than three games from a playoff spot. There are some parallels to the Cedric Mullins deal from 2025, but Ward was billed as more valuable asset than Mullins.

  • Orioles Receive: RHP Michael Forret
  • Rays Receive: RHP Tyler Wells
  • Grade: C+

Context matters here. Last season, the Orioles sent reliever Bryan Baker to Tampa in exchange for the 37th-overall pick. Baltimore selected high school outfielder Slater de Brun, but eventually sent de Brun, recent draft pick Caden Bodine, right-handed pitching prospect Michael Forret, outfield prospect Austin Overn, and the 33rd-overall pick in the 2026 draft to Tampa Bay for Shane Baz. Baltimore proceeded to sign Baz to a five-year contract extension.

Baz has pitched well (3.86 ERA), but the Orioles have struggled to win the games that he starts. Meanwhile, Tampa quickly developed Baker into an All-Star closer. The Rays know how to get the best out of pitchers, and it feels like they’ll find a way to extract the most value out of Wells.

The Orioles deserve credit for plucking Wells out of the Rule-5 draft, but they struggled to find a concrete role for the 31-year-old. Wells spent time as a starter, closer, and multi-inning reliever. What’s his best position? The Rays will probably find it.

Meanwhile, the Orioles get back a piece from the Baz deal. MLB Pipeline ranked Bodine as the Rays third best prospect, while Forret slotted in at number eight. Is this Elias trying to outsmart the Rays after they stole back de Brun? Forret holds real value, but it’s difficult to imagine this front office got the best of Tampa.

  • Orioles Receive: OF Jhomnardo Reyes
  • Twins Receive: SP Dean Kremer
  • Grade: B

The Orioles sent Dean Kremer to the Twins after a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Phillies. At the time, it felt like Baltimore couldn’t afford to have a struggling Kremer taking the ball every fifth day while they chased down a playoff spot. The team would either hand Kremer’s starts to Chris Bassitt, or it might even make a deal to acquire a starting pitcher.

With added context from today, this was simply another instance of the Orioles swapping big league players for future value. Baltimore dealt away 1.5 years of Kremer in exchange for an 18-year-old outfielder.

MLB pipeline had Reyes slotted as Minnesota’s 20th best prospect, but the former international signing has been trending upward. The Twins gave the lefty a six-figure bonus in 2025, and he slugged his way through rookie ball before making a recent debut at Low-A. At the end of the day, the Orioles had had enough of Kremer, while Reyes looks like an intriguing piece to monitor for the distant future.

  • Orioles Receive: OF Christian Franklin
  • Nationals Receive: RHP Joe Glassey
  • Grade: Incomplete

It’s incredibly difficult to assign a grade to a deal that involves two unknown prospects. Franklin will be placed on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old has played all three outfield positions but mostly profiles as a corner outfielder. Will Baltimore give Franklin a look before Heston Kjerstad or Enrique Bradfield Jr.?

  • Orioles keep Trevor Rogers

Leading up to the deadline, Mike Elias suggested that the Orioles would not position themselves as buyers or sellers. The team did plenty of selling, but the closest thing to “buying” was simply not trading away Trevor Rogers.

Rogers has insisted that he wants to stay in Baltimore long term, and perhaps the Orioles believe they can make that a reality. The organization handed out extensions to Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish, but Rogers will become a free agent at the end of the season.

The decision to keep Rogers around could pay off if he signs a new deal with the organization, but Elias could look foolish if he leaves at the end of the season. Rogers will be eligible for a qualifying offer after 2026, but there’s been speculation that a new CBA could eliminate qualifying offer compensation as early as this offseason.

  • Orioles extend Yennier Cano

The Orioles signed Yennier Cano to a two year extension that included a club option for 2029. The move essentially handed Cano guaranteed money during his arbitration years and ensured a team option for 2029.

Cano was already under team control, but the new deal likely deterred Baltimore from parting with the reliever at the trade deadline.

The trade grades were sponsored by FanDuel, which dropped Baltimore’s odds of making the playoffs to +680 after the trade deadline.

Mets' David Stearns on prospects acquired in trade deadline deals: 'We added a tremendous amount of talent'

Including a few deals prior to Monday's 6 p.m. trade deadline, the Mets completed eight trades that sent out eight players in exchange for 13 new players.

The big ones included trading Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays, dealing Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to the Chicago Cubs, and sending Luke Weaver to the Pittsburgh Pirates. After the deadline passed, president of baseball operations David Stearns met with reporters via Zoom to discuss what was accomplished during the busy day.

"We're excited about the players we're bringing in," Stearns said after thanking the traded players. "We think we added a tremendous amount of talent to our organization that will help us going forward. Believe it was the right thing to do given where we are in this season to make these decisions; these are not easy decisions. 

"Our goal is to move the organization forward in the best way possible to ensure that we have a far better season next year and each season beyond."

Stearns added that the players acquired fit the varying molds they are looking for and make their farm system stronger.

"First and foremost, we have a tremendous amount of talent all throughout our system," Stearns said. "Different shapes and sizes, different positional groupings, arms and bats, really good defenders. So overall, we believe that we've added to our system. We've added players that will help us in New York and overall strengthen the quality of our farm system."

Of the prospects acquired by New York, infielder Jefferson Rojas from the Cubs is the highest ranked by MLB Pipeline at No. 63 overall. The 21-year-old is right-handed and has split time mostly between 3B (56 games) and SS (26 games) this season in Double-A. He's hitting .270 with an .800 OPS and has 15 home runs, 19 doubles, and 57 RBI over 91 games.

"Really exciting, well-rounded player," Stearns said. "Has experience at all three positions on the dirt, has the ability to play all three. A very well-rounded offensive profile. Young for his level. Has really done exactly what you would want to see a player do, who was a very well-thought-of amateur on the international market and has really just performed and progressed throughout his development.

"All of our reports are extremely hard worker and is going to fit in very well to our organization."

Another top prospect acquired was SS Sammy Stafura from the Pirates, who attended Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, NY and coincidentally grew up a big Mets fan. Stafura, 21, was ranked as the Pirates' No. 9 prospect and owns a .276 batting average with a .960 OPS in High-A, blasting 20 home runs for 54 RBI, plus 20 stolen bases.

"I think the first thing that jumps off the page with you with Stafura is the defense," Stearns said. "He's got tremendous defensive ability. He's a very good baserunner. Can impact the game in a variety of different ways, can help you win ball games in a variety of different ways, and clearly has power as well.

"When you begin to talk about a power-hitting infielder, who we believe can play shortstop at a high level, that's a player with a pretty high ceiling."

Jays @ Astros Game Thread

HOUSTON - APRIL 2: A general view of the opening day game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Houston Astros on April 2, 2007 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Pirates won 4-2 in 10 innings. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After all that happened today, there is still a game tonight.

Shane Bieber gets the start, since he’s still there. Cristian Javier starts for Houston.

Daulton Varsho hits cleanup tonight for the Astros. That will be weird. He had a rather emotional press conference before the game. It does have to be hard on guys to leave their friends.

I’d still be ok with it if the Jays went on a bit of a roll. I’m not betting on it, but I’d be ok with it.

Today’s Lineups

BLUE JAYSASTROS
Nathan Lukes – RFJeremy Pena – SS
Vladimir Guerrero – 1BYordan Alvarez – DH
Kazuma Okamoto – 3BIsaac Paredes – 3B
George Springer – DHDaulton Varsho – CF
Alejandro Kirk – CChristian Walker – 1B
Jesus Sanchez – LFJose Altuve – 2B
Ernie Clement – 2BTaylor Trammell – LF
Andres Gimenez – SSYainer Diaz – C
Myles Straw – CFCam Smith – RF
Shane Bieber – RHPCristian Javier – RHP

Go Jays Go.

Yankees had conversations about adding Tarik Skubal, Adley Rutschman before MLB Trade Deadline

When the MLB Trade Deadline came at 6 p.m. on Monday, the Yankees had added infielder Luis Garcia Jrand outfielder Heliot Ramos. But the failure to add one of the big fish available at the deadline wasn’t for a lack of conversations had by general manager Brian Cashman.

Cashman revealed that the club had many conversations with Detroit about left-hander Tarik Skubal, who ended up being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore about catcher Adley Rutschman, who went to the Boston Red Sox.

"We've certainly been working at it for a long time; it’s always hard to find matches,” Cashman said Monday evening of the deadline talks.

While starting pitching is clearly a strength of the club, because of the excellence of the lefty, Cashman said, “We definitely made our phone calls and I talked to [Tigers president of baseball operations] Scott Harris several times about it.”

“We talked to Detroit, they set a high price,” Cashman said. “And, to be honest… we were unable to get them off what they said might work, but at the same time they were communicating that it also might not even win the day.

“They kinda went silent, I think after they got what they were looking for, and, ultimately, were wrestling whether they were gonna make the decision to move him or not. And then they made that decision. We feel like we didn't really match up in the end. We weren't able to compete at that level.”

Cashman said that the Tigers “did have some asks our way that we were unwilling to do.”

“It was a very specific ask, a certain player and players that we weren't willing to play with in that arena on Tarik Skubal, despite how great a pitcher he is," the Yankee GM said. “It’s another two months to go, plus the postseason, and that made it more difficult for us to be comfortable giving up the ask that was gonna go their way.”

Cashman said in the weeks leading up to the deadline that catcher was an area they were looking to improve with Austin Wells and Ali Sanchez struggling mightily at the plate. 

Asked how close the club came to adding a catcher and Rutschman in particular, the GM said, “We grinded through the market at catching, ” but it was “a very thin market of opportunity.”  

“We do believe we have quality catching, but obviously the offensive side, which has been a struggle for our team overall, not just at the catching position, made us certainly shop in that aisle,” Cashman said. “We had many conversations with Baltimore, as well, but were unable to meet the price. They did their business elsewhere. 

“And we kept grinding through it, but ultimately at the end of the day there was no opportunity that existed that we felt good enough about to be able to push through on. There were very limited opportunities that were available in the marketplace, regardless, so I think that’s why probably Baltimore [did well]. And they did well. We had conversations with them, but to no avail.”

As far as the catchers on the roster, Cashman believes Wells is “trending in the right direction” of producing more at the plate.

“I think Austin has been getting his offense going this past month,” the GM said. “A much more closer version to what he’s capable of.” 

“I know he’s capable of a lot, but we’ll see,” he continued. “Hopefully, the best is yet to come, and they're going to play big roles on both sides of the ball. [Wells] is extremely talented, knowledgeable in how he's handling our staff, and he does possess a lot of potential with that bat. Hopefully he's starting to finally tap into it."

One thing that won’t happen is Ben Rice seeing time behind the plate in any meaningful way. 

“We’re not planning on having Rice catch now. He’s our third emergency catcher, but in terms of putting him in play for an everyday situation, we think he’s best served in being deployed in the capacity he has been this year,” Cashman said. “We are not considering him as a consistent catching option for us.”

Cashman did add that Rice is “capable of getting back there” if there are any late-game situations that require manager Aaron Boone making substitutions, but they will not “put him back there starting games.”

Dodgers vs. Cubs: game chat

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 23: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 23, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s time for a short memory to move past the three straight losses against the Red Sox, now visiting the Cubs.

Monday’s game info

  • Teams: Dodgers at Cubs
  • Ballpark: Wrigley Field, Chicago
  • Start time: 5:05 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

St. Louis Cardinals 2026 Trade Grades

St. Louis Cardinals trade SP Dustin May and LHRP JoJo Romero for (#11) OF Alexander Frias and (#13) OF Josiah Ragsdale

Grade: A

It took a while for Chaim Bloom to get their first deal across the finish line, but boy was it worth the wait.

OF Alexander Frias is a name Cardinals fans are going to know for a long time. At 18 years old, he’s posted a max EV of 117 this season, leading evaluators to believe he has plus-plus raw power, and if the Cardinals can help him make a tiny adjustment to add more loft into his swing, he could be a perennial 30 HR bat. Frias is considered a below-average runner but has exceptional arm strength, making him an ideal RF long-term. MLB Pipeline lists Frias as the Brewers’ number 11 prospect in the system, and Fangraphs had him as number 43 overall in all of baseball in their latest top 100 update. He demolished the FCL this year to the tune of a 1.196 OPS and has a modest .746 OPS against Low-A competition that is advanced for his age. Again, an 18-year-old who would be a High School Senior posting an above .700 OPS at the equivalent of Palm Beach is very impressive.

OF Josiah Ragsdale has made big strides this season from an offensive standpoint. The Brewers’ 7th-round pick in 2025, Ragsdale has posted a 1.127 OPS in his first month of Double-A and has 12 HR at that level ALREADY. A player who was considered a potential big-league 4th outfielder type has flashed offensive upside; 3rd-party evaluators didn’t think Ragsdale was capable of coming into the year has shifted his upside forward in a meaningful way. Ragsdale is considered a 70-grade runner and should be capable of sticking in CF long term.

The Cardinals sent mercenary Dustin May and rental LHRP JoJo Romero to a Milwaukee team that is the class of the division and is looking to fill out its roster fully as it prepares itself for a potentially inevitable clash with the evil empirical villain of MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Dustin May slots in as a potential 3-4 starter in a top-heavy Brewers rotation, and JoJo Romero will be a 3rd lefty in their bullpen behind DL Hall and Aaron Ashby. Just as I’ve been saying for months now. JoJo is considered a high-leverage lefty in St. Louis, but he’s not particularly viewed that way across the league; he IS a valuable reliever nonetheless.

Overall, a deal for two rental pitchers in exchange for two outfielders who both have everyday potential (or more with Frias). It’s hard to give this deal anything other than an A, especially considering the path this organization has chosen going forward.

St. Louis Cardinals trade OF Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks for (#5) RHP Daniel Eagan and (#26) Sandro Santana and a PTBNL

Grade: B- tentatively depending on the PTBNL

If Lars were healthy in the offseason, he likely would have been traded then. After only 8 weeks of health, the Arizona Diamondbacks are satisfied with the results, having parted with two of their top 30 arms to acquire him.

RHP Daniel Eagan was a 3rd-round pick in 2024 and fits the mold of the Cardinals player development group, getting a guy with a tall, projectable frame: 6’4 205 lbs, and his delivery features induced vertical break of up to 20 inches. Eagan’s primary offering is a plus curveball that sits in the low 80s and a mid 80’s Gyro slider that flashes above average. Eagan also throws a Splitter that has a chance to be MLB average as an offspeed offering. Eagan has posted a 4.95 ERA this season for Double-A Amarillo, but their park is also known to be a bit of a launching pad, and he has been posting a 4.43 ERA on the road as opposed to a 5.44 ERA at home. Overall, Eagan projects as a number 4 starter in the big leagues when all is said and done.

LHP Sandro Santana is a left-handed relief pitching prospect who has the potential to make his MLB debut as early as next season. Sitting mid 90’s with his fastball, it’s more about deception, arm slot, and placement on the rubber than it is about movement that allows the pitch to get swings and misses. Santana’s true calling card is a 70-grade slider/sweeper that he can work against either-handed hitters to both sides of the plate. He is also developing a changeup as a 3rd viable option. When you watch video of his delivery, it’s hard not to get JoJo Romero vibes.

It has been a rollercoaster experience with Lars Nootbaar, with the injuries he’s dealt with but also the moments of joy and excitement he’s brought over the years and his infectious personality and constant energy. Lars Nootbaar will leave a lasting legacy in Cardinals fans’ eyes of “what if” during an era in which most Cardinals fans will likely be eager to forget years down the road.

The ability to get two near big-league-ready arms within the next 2 seasons that fit the team’s current timeline, and being able to get a reasonable deal done after only 8 healthy weeks of Lars Nootbaar in 2026 when some were uncertain about his big-league career overall is a win. Nothing at present suggests the Cardinals received anything of wow in return for this deal, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a solid return. Thus the deal receives a B- grade with the chance to improve further based on who the PTBNL is.

St. Louis Cardinals acquire LHRP Caleb Ferguson from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for 250,000 dollars in International Bonus Pool money.

Grade: B

After JoJo Romero went down with appendicitis and had been out since the All-Star Break, the Cardinals had a clear and existing need for another left-handed option out of the bullpen. They tried to get by with George Soriano, Luis Gastelum, and Justin Bruihl as their counters to lefties, but it has not been a fruitful venture since the break. This acquisition allows the Cardinals an immediate boost to their bullpen that had allowed them to piece together games early in the season. The fact that the Cardinals didn’t have to give up a prospect to fulfill an immediate need down the stretch is a bonus.

Ferguson is primarily a Sinker/Slurve lefty that also throws a 4Seam FB and Cutter. Posting a 4.01 ERA but a 3.48 xERA lends to the theory that Ferguson could be marginally better for St. Louis with the high-level defense behind him. 11 Walks to 22 strikeouts in 24.2 IP this year; if the Cardinals can get him more in the zone, you can see an easier pathway to Ferguson becoming a more effective reliever almost immediately. Just a quick side note on Ferguson’s slurve. He generates over 3,000 RPM’s of spin on the pitch (elite) but only throws it 15% of the time. That seems like a pitch he should throw more often. Just my two cents!

If you’re someone who likes to put down a little extra spending money on your sports consumption, you can head over to FanDuel. Maybe you think the Cardinals can go on a little run now that the pressure of the deadline is over, and you think the Cardinals can snag that last wild card spot! Only being 4 games out of the final spot, the Cardinals are currently +1200 to make the playoffs! That would be a good value play if you believe in the first half of the team as compared to what they’ve been out of the break.

Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

Dalton Rushing to injured list, Emmet Sheehan optioned to Triple-A

DENVER, CO - APRIL 18: Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers greets Dalton Rushing #68 as they leave the field during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The superteam Dodgers continue to draw ire for their largesse, including adding Tarik Skubal to their already deep rotation. But perhaps as an olive branch, they sometimes show their frailty as well. Dalton Rushing’s arm irritation that got him scratched from Sunday’s start is now right elbow inflammation that landed the catcher on the injured list.

Emmet Sheehan was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City after allowing three home runs and five runs in his 2 2/3 innings in Sunday’s loss to the Boston Red Sox. Sheehan on the season in his 20 starts has a 5.29 ERA, which ranks 96th among the 105 major league pitchers with at least 90 innings, despite a 3.96 xERA that ranks 45th.

“Everyone knows what we think of him. I mean, the talent is there, the care, the preparedness, all that stuff is there,” manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s loss. “But it’s just, when you’re pitching in the big leagues, you’ve got to get guys out.”

With Sheehan optioned, that means Eric Lauer remains in the rotation for now after originally appearing headed for relief work or even a possible trade. Lauer will start Wednesday in Chicago, Roberts told reporters at Wrigley Field on Monday, per Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic.

The Dodgers earlier Monday acquired old friend Ben Rortvedt to help with their catching depth, then alsotraded for another old friend in Hunter Feduccia from the Rays. But with Rushing out they also needed another active catcher today, which is why Chuckie Robinson is back, selected to the roster ahead of the team’s series opener at Wrigley Field.

Eliezer Alfonso starts at catcher on Monday against the Cubs, as he did on Sunday against the Red Sox.

Also back is Jonathan Hernández, who had 12 mostly low-leverage appearances for the Dodgers earlier this season. He posted an 8.15 ERA with 15 strikeouts and 12 walks in 17 2/3 innings before getting designated for assignment on June 30, and was sent outright to Triple-A on July 2.

In seven games with Oklahoma City the 29-year-old Hernández had a 6.14 ERA with nine walks and six strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers already had an open spot on the roster after Cole Irvin was designated for assignment on Saturday. They opened another spot by acquiring Kris Bubic — who is on the 60-day injured list — from the Kansas City Royals for Carlos Durán earlier Monday. Feduccia took up one of those 40-man roster spots when his trade was finalized.

To add both Robinson and Hernández, the Dodgers had to clear one more 40-man spot, and Wyatt Mills was designated for assignment after throwing 53 pitches in his two innings on Sunday night. Mills appeared in six games for the Dodgers this season, and allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits, nine walks, and two hit batters, with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

Tarik Skubal, who will start on Tuesday, was added to the active roster, taking Mills’ spot there.

Colorado Rockies vs. Tampa Bay Rays game discussion: Ian Seymour vs. Michael Lorenzen

DENVER, CO - JULY 31: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies looks on prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, July 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

There’s nothing like waiting until the last minute, and that’s exactly what happened on an action-packed day across the MLB as the trade deadline came and went at 4 p.m. MDT on Monday.

The Rockies waded into the chaos, making three of their four trades in the final hours on Monday, but didn’t end up dealing Hunter Goodman, who weighed heavily in the trade rumor mill. Colorado started the day by dealing center fielder Brenton Doyle to the Chicago White Sox, then sent former starter and current RHP reliever Antonio Senzatela to the Milwaukee Brewers and finished off by shipping right-handed reliever Victor Vodnik to the Miami Marlins. Earlier in July, the Rockies traded RHP reliever Seth Halvorsen to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To fill two of the roster holes, the Rockies called up outfielder Jordan Beck and RHP Nick Frasso from Triple-A Albuquerque.

Now, it’s time to get back to baseball. That is, if the weather will allow it.

After notching triple digits again on Monday, a storm appears to be rolling in.

Stay tuned to Purple Row for any weather updates.

Starting tonight, the Rockies will finish a six-game homestand with a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays (65-46). Colorado (45-67) is coming off a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals when they happened to first match and then surpass their 43-win total from 2025.

RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.54) will be on the mound for the Rockies. Lorenzen is coming off back-to-back short starts. Most recently, he gave up three runs on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts in four innings of work in an 8-7 loss in San Diego on July 28. On July 21, the Nationals beat him up, shelling him for six runs 0n seven hits, including two homers, with one walk and five strikeouts in an 8-7 loss at Coors Field.

LHP Ian Seymour (7-3, 4.37) will get the start for the AL East-leading Rays. A second-round pick from 2020 who made his MLB debut in 2025, Seymour, 27, has made 36 appearances for Tampa Day this season, but only seven have been starts. He’s 2-2 as a starter with a 5.34 ERA, and he’s made it at least five innings in five of those starts. Today will mark Seymour’s first appearance at Coors Field.

First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)

Rays SB Nation Site:DRaysBay

Lineups:


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