Heading into the All-Star Break, Tyler Rogers wasn’t expecting to be moved.
The Giants were in the thick of things in the crowded NL Wild Card race, but they opened the second half of the season on an extreme cold stretch and quickly things changed.
The dagger was a three-game sweep at home against the Mets.
After that, San Fran began looking more like obvious sellers heading towards the trade deadline, and then on Wednesday afternoon, the right-hander was shipped out to the Big Apple in a deal for three young pieces.
“I spent so long in San Francisco, great people over there,” Rogers said. “I gave them everything I had, I can’t say enough about the people over there and the city, it’s where I got started and got drafted -- I just can’t say much more about them.”
Ironically enough, it won’t take long for him to see his former club again.
His first outing in orange and blue will likely come against them this weekend, as the two teams face off in a three-game set at Citi Field.
Once he does that, he’ll have an appearance against every team in his career.
“Baseball is funny that way,” he said. “13 years I was in the Giants organization, to get traded is new -- to go out there and pitch for a new team for the first time ever is gonna be weird, then to look up and see a Giants uniform in the batters box will be something.”
Rogers flew to New York with the Giants before joining his new team.
Though it’s a big change, the veteran is excited to join the NL East-leading Mets down the stretch.
“Looking across the dugout a week ago, you could just tell this team is the complete package,” he said. “I’m very excited to be a part of it -- I’m just trying to slide in and do my part, whatever they need me to do.”
Rogers’ role will likely be similar to the one he played in San Fran.
He’ll help bridge the gap to All-Star closer Edwin Diaz alongside other deadline acquisition Ryan Helsley in the revamped Mets bullpen.
On the season, the 34-year-old has a 1.80 ERA and 0.86 WHIP across 53 appearances.
Heading into the All-Star Break, Tyler Rogers wasn’t expecting to be moved.
The Giants were in the thick of things in the crowded NL Wild Card race, but they opened the second half of the season on an extreme cold stretch and quickly things changed.
The dagger was a three-game sweep at home against the Mets.
After that, San Fran began looking more like obvious sellers heading towards the trade deadline, and then on Wednesday afternoon, the right-hander was shipped out to the Big Apple in a deal for three young pieces.
“I spent so long in San Francisco, great people over there,” Rogers said. “I gave them everything I had, I can’t say enough about the people over there and the city, it’s where I got started and got drafted -- I just can’t say much more about them.”
Ironically enough, it won’t take long for him to see his former club again.
His first outing in orange and blue will likely come against them this weekend, as the two teams face off in a three-game set at Citi Field.
Once he does that, he’ll have an appearance against every team in his career.
“Baseball is funny that way,” he said. “13 years I was in the Giants organization, to get traded is new -- to go out there and pitch for a new team for the first time ever is gonna be weird, then to look up and see a Giants uniform in the batters box will be something.”
Rogers flew to New York with the Giants before joining his new team.
Though it’s a big change, the veteran is excited to join the NL East-leading Mets down the stretch.
“Looking across the dugout a week ago, you could just tell this team is the complete package,” he said. “I’m very excited to be a part of it -- I’m just trying to slide in and do my part, whatever they need me to do.”
Rogers’ role will likely be similar to the one he played in San Fran.
He’ll help bridge the gap to All-Star closer Edwin Diaz alongside other deadline acquisition Ryan Helsley in the revamped Mets bullpen.
On the season, the 34-year-old has a 1.80 ERA and 0.86 WHIP across 53 appearances.
Harrison Bader settled into his new clubhouse and fielded questions from reporters Friday afternoon.
He cracked a joke when asked about his role with the Phillies.
“Probably going to play some outfield,” Bader said with a smile.
While that’s a safe bet, the details on that subject and the Phillies’ post-trade deadline outfield picture are not yet crystal clear.
The team optioned Johan Rojas to Triple A Lehigh Valley on Friday. Reliever Daniel Robert went on the 15-day injured list with a right middle finger blister and new closer Jhoan Duran joined the bullpen.
“Just to get him to play,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Rojas’ demotion. “He needs consistent at-bats. Again, try to simplify his swing, use the bunting game a little bit more. Just play every day.”
Rojas will share an outfield for now with prospect Justin Crawford, who Thomson noted “needs to learn how to play center field.” For that reason, Thomson told Rojas he’ll play “a little bit of left field, a little bit of right field” and “spell Crawford in center” at Triple A.
As for Bader, Thomson indicated he’ll primarily be in center for the Phillies.
“I see him sort of as the best center fielder we’ve got right now,” Thomson said.
However, Thomson’s short-term plan is to platoon Bader and left-handed bat Brandon Marsh.
“It depends on Baltimore’s starter the first game (next series),” he said. “But right now it’s set up right, left, right, left, right, left for the next six days. So for the next six days, it looks like sort of a true platoon — for six days. And then once we get to that point, we’ll figure it out.”
The 31-year-old Bader was solid this season as a Twin against both lefties (.774 OPS in 88 plate appearances) and righties (.779 OPS in 219 plate appearances).
“I don’t know,” Bader said. “I think Topper constructs the lineup the way he does, but my intention is to go out there and play baseball, just be myself. That’s really the only thing I know how to do. … I’m just going to help this team win. Like we all know, I’ve kind of been injected into a playoff race and all the notions of ego or me and my playing time, that’ll all go out the window.
“I’m here to win, I’m here to help this team win, and I want a shot at the World Series. … I’m just excited to dive into it and see how it all shakes out.”
Bader faced the Phillies in the playoffs last year and has a good idea what the fanbase is all about.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “Playing here last year for the Mets, I’m obviously aware of the atmosphere. And being from the Northeast (Bronxville, New York), I understand the Northeast fan mentality and playing in front of that caliber of fans. I was always extremely excited to be here as a visitor. Now being on the other side, I think it’s just full circle.”
Thomson’s lineup for Friday’s series opener vs. the Tigers had Marsh manning center field and batting sixth. Max Kepler, hitting .203 on the season, was in left and a spot below Marsh.
“(Kepler) is swinging the bat good, man,” Thomson said. “There’s not much to show for it, but he’s barreling a lot of balls up. And he’s playing really good defense.”
Harrison Bader settled into his new clubhouse and fielded questions from reporters Friday afternoon.
He cracked a joke when asked about his role with the Phillies.
“Probably going to play some outfield,” Bader said with a smile.
While that’s a safe bet, the details on that subject and the Phillies’ post-trade deadline outfield picture are not yet crystal clear.
The team optioned Johan Rojas to Triple A Lehigh Valley on Friday. Reliever Daniel Robert went on the 15-day injured list with a right middle finger blister and new closer Jhoan Duran joined the bullpen.
“Just to get him to play,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Rojas’ demotion. “He needs consistent at-bats. Again, try to simplify his swing, use the bunting game a little bit more. Just play every day.”
Rojas will share an outfield for now with prospect Justin Crawford, who Thomson noted “needs to learn how to play center field.” For that reason, Thomson told Rojas he’ll play “a little bit of left field, a little bit of right field” and “spell Crawford in center” at Triple A.
As for Bader, Thomson indicated he’ll primarily be in center for the Phillies.
“I see him sort of as the best center fielder we’ve got right now,” Thomson said.
However, Thomson’s short-term plan is to platoon Bader and left-handed bat Brandon Marsh.
“It depends on Baltimore’s starter the first game (next series),” he said. “But right now it’s set up right, left, right, left, right, left for the next six days. So for the next six days, it looks like sort of a true platoon — for six days. And then once we get to that point, we’ll figure it out.”
The 31-year-old Bader was solid this season as a Twin against both lefties (.774 OPS in 88 plate appearances) and righties (.779 OPS in 219 plate appearances).
“I don’t know,” Bader said. “I think Topper constructs the lineup the way he does, but my intention is to go out there and play baseball, just be myself. That’s really the only thing I know how to do. … I’m just going to help this team win. Like we all know, I’ve kind of been injected into a playoff race and all the notions of ego or me and my playing time, that’ll all go out the window.
“I’m here to win, I’m here to help this team win, and I want a shot at the World Series. … I’m just excited to dive into it and see how it all shakes out.”
Bader faced the Phillies in the playoffs last year and has a good idea what the fanbase is all about.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “Playing here last year for the Mets, I’m obviously aware of the atmosphere. And being from the Northeast (Bronxville, New York), I understand the Northeast fan mentality and playing in front of that caliber of fans. I was always extremely excited to be here as a visitor. Now being on the other side, I think it’s just full circle.”
Thomson’s lineup for Friday’s series opener vs. the Tigers had Marsh manning center field and batting sixth. Max Kepler, hitting .203 on the season, was in left and a spot below Marsh.
“(Kepler) is swinging the bat good, man,” Thomson said. “There’s not much to show for it, but he’s barreling a lot of balls up. And he’s playing really good defense.”
A month and a half into this season, the hottest team in Major League Baseball played in Minnesota.
When the standings closed on May 17, the Twins had won 13 consecutive games to sit second in their division. It was the franchise’s longest winning streak in 34 years, and the longest in all of MLB since 2022. Minnesota had one of baseball’s best staff of relief pitchers and an All-Star outfielder in Byron Buxton. Suddenly, a spring training declaration by the team’s top baseball executive, Derek Falvey, that reaching the World Series “has to be the mission from Day One,” sounded more like a possibility.
By this week’s trade deadline, that mission had changed dramatically.
No longer ascending in the standings, the Twins had moved from a buyer looking to bolster its lineup ahead of a playoff run into a seller trying to extract some value from a lost season — the kind of shift in thinking that happens to numerous teams across all professional sports.
Yet the scope of the Twins sell-off Thursday, in the final hours before the deadline, was anything but typical. Many teams out of playoff contention sell off key parts; the Twins, however, took it to an extreme. Over nine trades, they dealt away 11 players from a 26-man roster.
When Falvey sent a signed message to fans late Thursday, he wrote that “this wasn’t about patchwork or small adjustments.”
That was an understatement.
“We had been hovering around or under .500 for a period of time and just couldn’t quite get things going in the right direction, and we’ve got to find a new way to do it,” Falvey told reporters.
Falvey framed the roster reset as a baseball decision for the future of a team that had gone from six games above .500 on May 17 tosix games under. But along with bringing back a collection of prospects, the trades also accomplished slashing its payroll, and making it less expensive to operate. The trade of the highest-paid Twin, shortstop Carlos Correa, was effectively to ensure that another team, Houston, would foot the bill for more than $70 million of his remaining salary.
The Twins have historically never been among the top-spending teams, and their decline since May had only further disincentivized adding costs to a team whose ownership has been publicly looking to get out of the baseball business since late last year, when the Pohlad family — which has owned the franchise since 1984 — announced it was looking sell the team.
“The sale process continues to be an ongoing reality for our organization and something that we will work through at the right time,” Falvey said.
The intention to sell was announced at a time when labor peace between players and the league, and the attractiveness of owning a franchise in a smaller market, have come under question. Six teams last season had a payroll of $102 million or less, according to Spotrac, less than the amount the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly paid in taxes alone.
The average MLB team valuation at the season’s start was $2.62 billion, per CNBC. Minnesota’s $1.6 billion valuation ranked 22nd out of 30 teams.
The few remaining holdovers include pitcher Joe Ryan and Buxton, who only two weeks earlier had noted the security provided by his no-trade clause.
“I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life,” Buxton said at the All-Star game. “So, that’s the best feeling in the world.”
The Twins woke up to a different feeling Friday. To fill out their roster for their first game after the deadline, the Twins were forced to call up eight players from the minor leagues. Gone are five relievers from a bullpen that had shined during the team’s winning streak, including top closer Jhoan Duran. Players on longer contracts, such as Correa, and others expiring at the end of the season were dealt with equal measure.
On Reddit, one user noted that the roster upheaval had turned the Twins’ official Instagram account into a series of graphics announcing either a “trade alert” or a “thank you” to a departed player.
The extreme teardown took place less than two years after Minnesota won its division and made the postseason for the first time in three years.
“I had some conversations with the front office in Minnesota and we were not moving in the direction that I thought we were after [making] the playoffs [in 2023], and they agreed with me that it was time to move me,” Correa told MLB.com.
Tampa Bay Rays' José Caballero celebrates during a game against the Chicago White Sox on July 22. Caballero was traded from the Rays to the New York Yankees on Thursday during a game between the two teams. (Jason Behnken / Associated Press)
José Caballero was a member of the Tampa Bay Rays at the start of Thursday's game against the New York Yankees.
He was a member of the Rays when he turned a double play to end the fifth inning.
He was a member of the Rays when he popped out to second base to start the sixth inning.
He was a member of the winning team when he spoke to reporters after the game.
That team was not the Rays. In a bizarre scenario that played out as the MLB trade deadline came and went, Caballero was dealt to the opposing team during a game in which he was playing.
“I was winning today regardless,” Caballero said following the Yankees' 7-4 victory. “We won the game, I guess. That’s what I feel right now.”
As part of the deal, the Rays received triple-A outfielder Everson Pereira and a player to be named or cash.
Caballero is tied for the MLB lead with 34 stolen bases this season. He has played in 86 games at six positions (shortstop, second base, third base and all three outfield spots) and has a batting average of .226 with two home runs and 27 RBIs.
After entering Thursday's game in the bottom of the fifth inning, Caballero could be seen in the Tampa Bay dugout during the top of the seventh, giving hugs and saying his goodbyes. Shortstop Taylor Walls looked particularly stunned by the development.
Caballero, who was acquired by the Rays in a trade with the Seattle Mariners before the 2024 season, bid his final farewell Friday on his Instagram Stories.
"Grateful for every moment, every game, every memory, every person," he wrote. "Y'all made it special. Forever part of my journey. Thank you Rays!!"
"Honored to join such a legendary organization," he wrote. "Thank you, Yankees, for the warm welcome. Let's get to work! #NewChapter"
The Panama native is now a member of the team he grew up rooting for (Derek Jeter was his favorite player, Caballero told reporters). He is also now teammates with Gerrit Cole, the Yankees pitcher who famously wagged his finger in annoyance at then-Seattle Mariners rookie Caballero during a June 2023 game.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters he spoke briefly with Caballero after the trade.
“I said, `We’ve had some battles but I like your game,’" Boone said. "So I think he brings a lot to the table and I think he’s going to be a very useful player for us, just a lot of different things he can do on a diamond and provide a lot of position flexibility.”
Tampa Bay Rays' José Caballero celebrates during a game against the Chicago White Sox on July 22. Caballero was traded from the Rays to the New York Yankees on Thursday during a game between the two teams. (Jason Behnken / Associated Press)
José Caballero was a member of the Tampa Bay Rays at the start of Thursday's game against the New York Yankees.
He was a member of the Rays when he turned a double play to end the fifth inning.
He was a member of the Rays when he popped out to second base to start the sixth inning.
He was a member of the winning team when he spoke to reporters after the game.
That team was not the Rays. In a bizarre scenario that played out as the MLB trade deadline came and went, Caballero was dealt to the opposing team during a game in which he was playing.
“I was winning today regardless,” Caballero said following the Yankees' 7-4 victory. “We won the game, I guess. That’s what I feel right now.”
As part of the deal, the Rays received triple-A outfielder Everson Pereira and a player to be named or cash.
Caballero is tied for the MLB lead with 34 stolen bases this season. He has played in 86 games at six positions (shortstop, second base, third base and all three outfield spots) and has a batting average of .226 with two home runs and 27 RBIs.
After entering Thursday's game in the bottom of the fifth inning, Caballero could be seen in the Tampa Bay dugout during the top of the seventh, giving hugs and saying his goodbyes. Shortstop Taylor Walls looked particularly stunned by the development.
Caballero, who was acquired by the Rays in a trade with the Seattle Mariners before the 2024 season, bid his final farewell Friday on his Instagram Stories.
"Grateful for every moment, every game, every memory, every person," he wrote. "Y'all made it special. Forever part of my journey. Thank you Rays!!"
"Honored to join such a legendary organization," he wrote. "Thank you, Yankees, for the warm welcome. Let's get to work! #NewChapter"
The Panama native is now a member of the team he grew up rooting for (Derek Jeter was his favorite player, Caballero told reporters). He is also now teammates with Gerrit Cole, the Yankees pitcher who famously wagged his finger in annoyance at then-Seattle Mariners rookie Caballero during a June 2023 game.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters he spoke briefly with Caballero after the trade.
“I said, `We’ve had some battles but I like your game,’" Boone said. "So I think he brings a lot to the table and I think he’s going to be a very useful player for us, just a lot of different things he can do on a diamond and provide a lot of position flexibility.”
Marcus Stroman's time in the Bronx has come to an end.
The Yankees announced on Friday afternoon that they have released the right-hander to help make room for their recent trade deadline acquisitions.
Stroman's exit was ultimately due to a lack of market interest, as ESPN's Buster Olney reported that the Yankees floated the veteran starter in trade conversations with teams before Thursday's deadline. There just weren't any bites.
Stroman signed with the Yanks last offseason on a two-year, $37 million deal with a conditional player option that could've kicked in with 140.0 innings pitched this season.
The right-hander had a bit of an up-and-down first year with the club, pitching to a 4.31 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, and he ended up being left off the Yankees' 26-man ALDS roster.
He was added back on for the ALCS and World Series, but didn't make an appearance.
Stroman missed time at the beginning of this season with left knee inflammation, and he hadn't quite been able to find his footing since making his return from the IL.
He allowed four earned runs on six hits over five innings of work in his last outing Thursday against the Rays, bringing his ERA to 6.23 for the year.
Luis Gil will rejoin the Yanks rotation this weekend so it was between Stroman, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler for the final two spots, and the team has decided to move forward with their young arms in the mix.
Stroman finishes his time with the Yankees with a 4.69 ERA over 39 appearances.
David Bednar, Jake Bird, Camilo Doval, and José Caballero have all been added to the active roster.
Marcus Stroman's time in the Bronx has come to an end.
The Yankees announced on Friday afternoon that they have released the right-hander to help make room for their recent trade deadline acquisitions.
Stroman's exit was ultimately due to a lack of market interest, as ESPN's Buster Olney reported that the Yankees floated the veteran starter in trade conversations with teams before Thursday's deadline. There just weren't any bites.
Stroman signed with the Yanks last offseason on a two-year, $37 million deal with a conditional player option that could've kicked in with 140.0 innings pitched this season.
The right-hander had a bit of an up-and-down first year with the club, pitching to a 4.31 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, and he ended up being left off the Yankees' 26-man ALDS roster.
He was added back on for the ALCS and World Series, but didn't make an appearance.
Stroman missed time at the beginning of this season with left knee inflammation, and he hadn't quite been able to find his footing since making his return from the IL.
He allowed four earned runs on six hits over five innings of work in his last outing Thursday against the Rays, bringing his ERA to 6.23 for the year.
Luis Gil will rejoin the Yanks rotation this weekend so it was between Stroman, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler for the final two spots, and the team has decided to move forward with their young arms in the mix.
Stroman finishes his time with the Yankees with a 4.69 ERA over 39 appearances.
David Bednar, Jake Bird, Camilo Doval, and José Caballero have all been added to the active roster.
Fernando Tatis Jr., left, and the Padres loaded up at the trade deadline to make a push to slide past Will Smith and the Dodgers for the NL West title. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
They won’t finish this season with the best record in history, as they could win every one of their remaining games and still not realize the 120-win season that was envisioned for them.
They might not even finish this season with the best record in the National League — or in their own division, for that matter.
Their perceived vulnerability didn’t necessarily inspire the frenzied action around baseball before the trade deadline, but it certainly didn’t discourage it either.
With blood in the water and the World Series field wide open, several contenders moved to prepare their rosters for October. No team changed as much as the San Diego Padres, who are suddenly positioned to turn the Dodgers’ title defense into a humiliation exercise.
“We went in knowing, OK, we have a team that can compete and play deep and ultimately we have these needs and let’s go fill them,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said.
Mason Miller, who throws a fastball with an average velocity of 101 mph, will turbocharge what was already the No. 1 bullpen in baseball. Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn will improve the balance of a top-heavy lineup featuring Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Freddy Fermin will address a hole at catcher. JP Sears and Nestor Cortes will add depth to a rotation on the mend.
Particularly revealing of the Padres’ ambitions was what Preller didn’t do. He didn’t trade closer Robert Suárez, an impending free agent. He didn’t trade underperforming former All-Star pitcher Dylan Cease, who will also hit the market this winter.
The Padres were only three games behind the Dodgers at the trade deadline, making Preller’s team a legitimate threat to overtake them in the division and cost them a top-two seed in the NL, for which the reward is a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The danger didn’t compel the Dodgers to act, their relative inactivity in this situation reflecting the contrasting philosophies of the two organizations.
The Dodgers make deals on their terms. When president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman overpay for players — the combined $85 million the Dodgers spent over the winter on relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates is an example — it’s usually by accident.
The mentality often results in the market dictating to the Dodgers what they can and can’t do. For better or worse, the Padres have elected a proactive approach.
Landing Miller required to part with Leo De Vries, an 18-year-old shortstop who is widely considered one of the five best prospects in the entire sport.
Preller knew what he gave up.
“He’s going to be a very good major league player,” Preller said of De Vries.
Preller has done this before, He traded Max Fried and he traded Emmanuel Clase and he traded Josh Naylor. When he acquired Juan Soto at the 2022 trade deadline, he sent the Washington Nationals a package that included three future All-Stars in CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore and James Wood.
Impact players have considerable price tags, and they’re higher in some years than in others. The Dodgers examined the prices of the best relievers and outfielders available, and they settled for more affordable options. The Padres went for it, with Preller saying he was confident the team’s scouting and player development departments would once again replenish the farm system.
“In different points in time over the last few years, we’ve been able to be in this position, to be able to make these types of decisions and calls,” Preller said. “It’s just because we have good players that other teams want.”
The Padres weren’t alone. The two New York teams reconstructed their bullpens, the Philadelphia Phillies found a closer in Jhoan Duan and the Seattle Mariners added some pop to their lineup by dealing for Eugenio Suárez and Naylor.
Why wouldn’t these teams be bold?
The Dodgers couldn’t make this a one-horse race. Their inability to separate themselves from the pack presented competitors with opportunities to pass them by at the trade deadline. Some of them might have.
Fernando Tatis Jr., left, and the Padres loaded up at the trade deadline to make a push to slide past Will Smith and the Dodgers for the NL West title. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
They won’t finish this season with the best record in history, as they could win every one of their remaining games and still not realize the 120-win season that was envisioned for them.
They might not even finish this season with the best record in the National League — or in their own division, for that matter.
Their perceived vulnerability didn’t necessarily inspire the frenzied action around baseball before the trade deadline, but it certainly didn’t discourage it either.
With blood in the water and the World Series field wide open, several contenders moved to prepare their rosters for October. No team changed as much as the San Diego Padres, who are suddenly positioned to turn the Dodgers’ title defense into a humiliation exercise.
“We went in knowing, OK, we have a team that can compete and play deep and ultimately we have these needs and let’s go fill them,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said.
Mason Miller, who throws a fastball with an average velocity of 101 mph, will turbocharge what was already the No. 1 bullpen in baseball. Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn will improve the balance of a top-heavy lineup featuring Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Freddy Fermin will address a hole at catcher. JP Sears and Nestor Cortes will add depth to a rotation on the mend.
Particularly revealing of the Padres’ ambitions was what Preller didn’t do. He didn’t trade closer Robert Suárez, an impending free agent. He didn’t trade underperforming former All-Star pitcher Dylan Cease, who will also hit the market this winter.
The Padres were only three games behind the Dodgers at the trade deadline, making Preller’s team a legitimate threat to overtake them in the division and cost them a top-two seed in the NL, for which the reward is a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The danger didn’t compel the Dodgers to act, their relative inactivity in this situation reflecting the contrasting philosophies of the two organizations.
The Dodgers make deals on their terms. When president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman overpay for players — the combined $85 million the Dodgers spent over the winter on relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates is an example — it’s usually by accident.
The mentality often results in the market dictating to the Dodgers what they can and can’t do. For better or worse, the Padres have elected a proactive approach.
Landing Miller required to part with Leo De Vries, an 18-year-old shortstop who is widely considered one of the five best prospects in the entire sport.
Preller knew what he gave up.
“He’s going to be a very good major league player,” Preller said of De Vries.
Preller has done this before, He traded Max Fried and he traded Emmanuel Clase and he traded Josh Naylor. When he acquired Juan Soto at the 2022 trade deadline, he sent the Washington Nationals a package that included three future All-Stars in CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore and James Wood.
Impact players have considerable price tags, and they’re higher in some years than in others. The Dodgers examined the prices of the best relievers and outfielders available, and they settled for more affordable options. The Padres went for it, with Preller saying he was confident the team’s scouting and player development departments would once again replenish the farm system.
“In different points in time over the last few years, we’ve been able to be in this position, to be able to make these types of decisions and calls,” Preller said. “It’s just because we have good players that other teams want.”
The Padres weren’t alone. The two New York teams reconstructed their bullpens, the Philadelphia Phillies found a closer in Jhoan Duan and the Seattle Mariners added some pop to their lineup by dealing for Eugenio Suárez and Naylor.
Why wouldn’t these teams be bold?
The Dodgers couldn’t make this a one-horse race. Their inability to separate themselves from the pack presented competitors with opportunities to pass them by at the trade deadline. Some of them might have.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Leo De Vries #94 of the San Diego Padres in the field during the ninth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Athletics at Peoria Stadium on March 14, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Diamond Images/Getty Images
For the second time in four years, A.J. Preller turned the San Diego Padres into the biggest stars of baseball’s trade deadline.
In 2022, the San Diego general manager snagged slugger Juan Soto, sending James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams and three others to Washington in an eight-player blockbuster.
Then on Thursday, the aggressive Preller pulled off a slightly less seismic version of that deal, trading top prospect Leo De Vries to the Athletics and bringing back closer Mason Miller.
Prospects that highly touted are rarely dealt anymore. De Vries, a shortstop, is ranked No. 3 overall by MLB Pipeline. Last year at the deadline, none of Baseball America’s top 100 prospects were traded.
By the time this year’s deadline passed, Preller had traded 14 players and acquired eight. Left-handers JP Sears and Nestor Cortes, first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano were among those the Padres landed in addition to Miller, an All-Star last season who is under team control through 2029.
Here’s a division-by-division look at this year’s deadline:
AL East
TORONTO leads the division by 3 1/2 games, but the Blue Jays have dropped four of five. They took a gamble, albeit one with some upside, in acquiring 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, who has made several rehab starts as he works toward a return from Tommy John surgery. The second-place YANKEES added All-Star relievers David Bednar and Camilo Doval to their bullpen and acquired some more power in third baseman Ryan McMahon. BOSTON’s deadline was less inspiring, unless oft-injured right-hander Dustin May can get hot down the stretch.
BALTIMORE has shown it can build a strong farm system of position players, but poor pitching has the Orioles in last place this year. They did add some interesting minor league arms over the past week while selling off more than a half-dozen players. TAMPA BAY is 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot and added reliever Griffin Jax and starting pitcher Adrian Houser, but the Rays also traded away a dependable starter in Zack Littell. Just assume the unorthodox Rays know what they’re doing and move on.
AL Central
KANSAS CITY is a half-game behind CLEVELAND in the standings, and both have about a 13% chance of making the postseason according to FanGraphs. But they went in opposite directions at the deadline. The Royals largely stayed the course, making some under-the-radar additions like outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and left-hander Bailey Falter, while the Guardians — who are three games out of a playoff spot — dealt away Bieber and reliever Paul Sewald. Of course, that’s nothing compared to the way MINNESOTA tore apart its roster, trading Jax, infielder Carlos Correa, reliever Jhoan Durán and more than a half-dozen others.
DETROIT didn’t have a terribly sexy deadline but added starters Charlie Morton and Chris Paddack along with a few bullpen arms.
The WHITE SOX held onto outfielder Luis Robert Jr. He has club options for the next two years, so perhaps we haven’t heard the last about his potential trade value.
AL West
SEATTLE threw down the gauntlet Wednesday night by acquiring slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez. Then HOUSTON answered Thursday by bringing Correa back to the team that drafted him. The difference between these two moves is that Correa is under contract through at least 2028, while Suárez can become a free agent this offseason. But the Mariners can worry about that later.
TEXAS, which is five games behind the first-place Astros but just a game behind Seattle for the final wild card, added Merrill Kelly to its rotation. He may have been the best starting pitcher dealt — but pitching hasn’t been the problem for the Rangers this year.
The ANGELS are the worst team in the American League that didn’t make a clear move toward selling. And they didn’t do anything likely to move the needle much as they try to make up ground. The ATHLETICS are finally making news for reasons other than their nomadic existence. Add De Vries to an organization that already has two of the game’s top rookies in the majors, and the future looks a little brighter.
NL East
The METS lead PHILADELPHIA by a half-game atop this division, and both teams went big on bullpen help. New York went for quantity with Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley, while the Phillies made one huge move in adding Duran. MIAMI held onto Sandy Alcantara. Perhaps his value will improve by the offseason — right now he has a 6.36 ERA in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.
WASHINGTON sold in fairly predictable fashion, but ATLANTA — currently 16 games under .500 — curiously held onto Raisel Iglesias despite no shortage of teams looking for late-inning relievers.
NL Central
MILWAUKEE and the CUBS boast the game’s two best records, and they appear reasonably satisfied with what they have. Both added some bullpen help. CINCINNATI was more aggressive, acquiring Littell from the Rays and Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from PITTSBURGH. Trading Hayes within the division was a gamble by the Pirates, given that he’s under team control through 2030, but he has an OPS well under .600 for the second straight year. Pittsburgh is under pressure to improve while Paul Skenes is young and cheap.
ST. LOUIS looked like a buyer a month ago, but the Cardinals have lost 17 of 25 and are now a .500 team.
NL West
SAN DIEGO’s flurry of moves didn’t draw a particularly brazen response from the DODGERS, who were actually on the prospect-receiving end of the deal that sent May to Boston. SAN FRANCISCO certainly looked like a buyer when it acquired Rafael Devers earlier this season, but now the fading Giants are under .500 and will hope the haul of prospects they received — particularly from the Mets and Yankees for Rogers and Doval — pan out.
ARIZONA had two of the best trade chips on the market in Suárez and Kelly and cashed in both. COLORADO’s assets were less enticing, but the Rockies did unload McMahon and his contract.
The highs and the lows of a lengthy baseball season are often talked about during it. There are hot-hitting streaks to go along with painful slumps; untouchable pitching can disappear quickly. It’s all parts of the ebbs and flows that 162 games produce.
Wednesday and Thursday this week were a roller-coaster ride for Phillies fans that began with the euphoria of acquiring closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins. Considered one of the best closers in baseball with “electric” stuff, as Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber said, Duran was exactly what the team needed in a bullpen that has lacked a true someone for that position since the suspension of Jose Alvarado back in May.
Thursday was expected to be another fist-pumper for fans as the anticipation of a big bat arriving to help in the outfield was palpable. So when it was announced by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski that the team had acquired Harrison Bader for a couple of prospects, reaction varied. Well, varied in that Dombrowski believes Bader is a player that can help the team with his defensive versatility, as the former Gold Glover can play both left and center. As for fans, there isn’t a whole lot of excitement on this one.
Bader will join an outfield that, besides Nick Castellanos in right, has become somewhat of a revolving door of players. Max Kepler was expected to be the everyday leftfielder when the Phillies signed him to a $10 million, one-year deal in the offseason, but he is hitting .203, which sort of necessitates he play only against right-handed pitching. Brandon Marsh, who can also play either left or center, is hitting .297 after the month of May. Johan Rojas is the odd man out as he was optioned to Lehigh Valley on Friday. Otto Kemp, since his call-up in early June, has played some left while also filling in at third for injured Alec Bohm, is still unproven.
So, the Phillies are basically finishing out their push to the playoffs with an outfield that just may be platooning in both left and center. Not exactly ideal, right? Before Friday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, manager Rob Thomson said that for at least the next six games he’ll platoon Bader and Marsh in center and Kepler and Kemp in left.
“He’s been a good player for years, really,” Dombrowski said of Bader. “But this year’s a little bit better from an offensive perspective, by all means. We just think that he’s played well and he can continue to do so.”
To look at it, yeah, Bader has played well, for what Bader has been, which is a terrific fielder with limited offensive prowess. He has a career slash line of .243/.309/.397. He has a total of 83 home runs in his nine seasons and had a career-high 51 RBI last season with the Mets. The 31-year-old has improved upon those numbers this season with .258/.339/.439 to go along with 12 home runs and 38 RBI. But still, is it enough for this Phillies team to take it to where it wants to go?
“I think the outfield market, compared to maybe the reliever market, the starting pitching market, especially if you’re talking right-handed hitting outfielders, it really wasn’t very robust, there really weren’t that many right-handed hitting outfielders out there,” Dombrowski said. “There really wasn’t a long list of right-handed hitting outfielders that we thought could be helpful to us.
“So, there was a very limited number of players in that regard. You can try to go get other guys but sometimes the cost of acquisition was really high. We had a lot of conversations. We could have made other trades like anybody could make more. We’re very comfortable. We’ve added where we think we needed to add.”
Comfortable probably isn’t a satisfying word for fans. After the exclamation point in adding Duran, the Bader addition feels like a question mark. Or maybe the thinking of the front office was, after not being able to land a more prominent hitter, that with an excellent group of starting pitchers and an improved bullpen, the way to winning is by riding the pitching and fielding as good a defense as they can.
“People almost forget about David Robertson because he’s not here but he’s out there throwing,” Dombrowski said. “Between David and Duran, we’ve got two good additions from the right-hand side. Alvarado is not too far away, either. But those two guys there and getting a right-handed hitting outfielder was our main thing.
“I can’t tell you there’s any club over the last time period that we did not speak to. There was no stone unturned. We felt good with our club. We didn’t have a lot of gaping holes. Some of our offensive improvement is going to have to come internally. We think it can. It’s like all of the sudden you see Brandon Marsh hit a couple of home runs the last couple of days. We think he can drive the ball more than he has in the past. He’s starting to do that. Some of that is going to have to come internally. We feel comfortable with the guys that we got.”
While a win-now attitude is prominent, there also is a big eye toward the future, specifically with prospects Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford. Dombrowski emphatically said on Wednesday in Chicago that they were not trading Painter this year. If the Phillies were going to get a bigger bat — Eugenio Suarez, Luis Robert Jr. or Steven Kwan — Painter’s name was surely a name brought up by possible trade suitors, but Dombrowski didn’t budge on his stance. His reasoning was pretty simple.
“Because I think he’s really good, is what it comes down to,” he said of Painter. “I think he’s a premier starting pitcher is what he projects to be. He’s coming off basically missing two years. With Tommy John surgery a lot of times after you throw like he has it even takes another year to get back to where you are.
“There’s no untradable players because if you hit a certain guy anybody can be traded. I always said that I would trade Miguel Cabrera for two Miguel Cabreras, so you would always do that. We just think that he’s really, really good, top of the rotation, has the potential to be a No. 1, No. 2 type starter for a long, long time for us.
“We need some of these youngsters to keep coming up with us over the next couple of years to keep progressing and keep going for years to come. They’re important parts of that and Andrew is an extremely important part of those plans.”
More important than ever, perhaps, after Thursday’s happenings.
The highs and the lows of a lengthy baseball season are often talked about during it. There are hot-hitting streaks to go along with painful slumps; untouchable pitching can disappear quickly. It’s all parts of the ebbs and flows that 162 games produce.
Wednesday and Thursday this week were a roller-coaster ride for Phillies fans that began with the euphoria of acquiring closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins. Considered one of the best closers in baseball with “electric” stuff, as Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber said, Duran was exactly what the team needed in a bullpen that has lacked a true someone for that position since the suspension of Jose Alvarado back in May.
Thursday was expected to be another fist-pumper for fans as the anticipation of a big bat arriving to help in the outfield was palpable. So when it was announced by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski that the team had acquired Harrison Bader for a couple of prospects, reaction varied. Well, varied in that Dombrowski believes Bader is a player that can help the team with his defensive versatility, as the former Gold Glover can play both left and center. As for fans, there isn’t a whole lot of excitement on this one.
Bader will join an outfield that, besides Nick Castellanos in right, has become somewhat of a revolving door of players. Max Kepler was expected to be the everyday leftfielder when the Phillies signed him to a $10 million, one-year deal in the offseason, but he is hitting .203, which sort of necessitates he play only against right-handed pitching. Brandon Marsh, who can also play either left or center, is hitting .297 after the month of May. Johan Rojas is the odd man out as he was optioned to Lehigh Valley on Friday. Otto Kemp, since his call-up in early June, has played some left while also filling in at third for injured Alec Bohm, is still unproven.
So, the Phillies are basically finishing out their push to the playoffs with an outfield that just may be platooning in both left and center. Not exactly ideal, right? Before Friday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, manager Rob Thomson said that for at least the next six games he’ll platoon Bader and Marsh in center and Kepler and Kemp in left.
“He’s been a good player for years, really,” Dombrowski said of Bader. “But this year’s a little bit better from an offensive perspective, by all means. We just think that he’s played well and he can continue to do so.”
To look at it, yeah, Bader has played well, for what Bader has been, which is a terrific fielder with limited offensive prowess. He has a career slash line of .243/.309/.397. He has a total of 83 home runs in his nine seasons and had a career-high 51 RBI last season with the Mets. The 31-year-old has improved upon those numbers this season with .258/.339/.439 to go along with 12 home runs and 38 RBI. But still, is it enough for this Phillies team to take it to where it wants to go?
“I think the outfield market, compared to maybe the reliever market, the starting pitching market, especially if you’re talking right-handed hitting outfielders, it really wasn’t very robust, there really weren’t that many right-handed hitting outfielders out there,” Dombrowski said. “There really wasn’t a long list of right-handed hitting outfielders that we thought could be helpful to us.
“So, there was a very limited number of players in that regard. You can try to go get other guys but sometimes the cost of acquisition was really high. We had a lot of conversations. We could have made other trades like anybody could make more. We’re very comfortable. We’ve added where we think we needed to add.”
Comfortable probably isn’t a satisfying word for fans. After the exclamation point in adding Duran, the Bader addition feels like a question mark. Or maybe the thinking of the front office was, after not being able to land a more prominent hitter, that with an excellent group of starting pitchers and an improved bullpen, the way to winning is by riding the pitching and fielding as good a defense as they can.
“People almost forget about David Robertson because he’s not here but he’s out there throwing,” Dombrowski said. “Between David and Duran, we’ve got two good additions from the right-hand side. Alvarado is not too far away, either. But those two guys there and getting a right-handed hitting outfielder was our main thing.
“I can’t tell you there’s any club over the last time period that we did not speak to. There was no stone unturned. We felt good with our club. We didn’t have a lot of gaping holes. Some of our offensive improvement is going to have to come internally. We think it can. It’s like all of the sudden you see Brandon Marsh hit a couple of home runs the last couple of days. We think he can drive the ball more than he has in the past. He’s starting to do that. Some of that is going to have to come internally. We feel comfortable with the guys that we got.”
While a win-now attitude is prominent, there also is a big eye toward the future, specifically with prospects Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford. Dombrowski emphatically said on Wednesday in Chicago that they were not trading Painter this year. If the Phillies were going to get a bigger bat — Eugenio Suarez, Luis Robert Jr. or Steven Kwan — Painter’s name was surely a name brought up by possible trade suitors, but Dombrowski didn’t budge on his stance. His reasoning was pretty simple.
“Because I think he’s really good, is what it comes down to,” he said of Painter. “I think he’s a premier starting pitcher is what he projects to be. He’s coming off basically missing two years. With Tommy John surgery a lot of times after you throw like he has it even takes another year to get back to where you are.
“There’s no untradable players because if you hit a certain guy anybody can be traded. I always said that I would trade Miguel Cabrera for two Miguel Cabreras, so you would always do that. We just think that he’s really, really good, top of the rotation, has the potential to be a No. 1, No. 2 type starter for a long, long time for us.
“We need some of these youngsters to keep coming up with us over the next couple of years to keep progressing and keep going for years to come. They’re important parts of that and Andrew is an extremely important part of those plans.”
More important than ever, perhaps, after Thursday’s happenings.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals found themselves in a strange and precarious position at the trade deadline: They were both buyers and sellers, interested in supplementing the club to win now while simultaneously continuing to build for the future.
In other words, they wanted to have it all.
They largely succeeded, too.
By the time manager Matt Quatraro and the Royals boarded a plane destined for a weekend series in Toronto, the roster looked a whole lot different from how it did just days ago. They had traded backup catcher Freddy Fermin and a few other assets that didn’t necessarily figure into their immediate- or long-range plans, and in return got an outfielder and three pitchers capable of starting — a haul of four players who can help their big league club immediately.
The swap with the Padres of Fermin for pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek fortified their rotation, which has been hit hard by injuries, as did the deal with Pittsburgh that sent minor leaguers Evan Sisk and Callan Moss for left-hander Bailey Falter.
Then, minutes before the deadline, the Royals upgraded their outfielder by landing right fielder Matt Yastrzemski — who particularly is good against right-handed pitching — for low-minors pitching prospect Yunior Marte.
“What we’ve done,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said, “is going to allow us to work through the year with the pitchers we have in an efficient way, in a way that’s going to be healthy for all of them, and we’re just excited to get these guys.
“It’s 14 years of club control on the starting pitching side of things.”
That last bit is important: The pitchers the Royals landed will be theirs for a while.
They headed into the series against the Blue Jays well out of the AL Central lead but only 3 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot, which they parlayed last season into a trip to the divisional round of the playoffs. They had followed up an abysmal month of June in which they went 8-18 by going 15-9 in July, clawing themselves back to within a game of .500.
So, the Royals believe they are still very much in the thick of the postseason hunt, and they needed the help to do it.
“We’re playing better right now,” Picollo acknowledged. “I like the way we’re starting to score some runs.”
Yet the Royals aren’t exactly in a position to go all-in, either, so those moves came with a certain level of judiciousness. They did not want to part with any of their prospects, because they foresee a window to win over the next several years, particularly with a young core headlined by All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. under their control through 2029 and even beyond.
“We’re still a fairly young team with a young core together, and trying to build that culture of winning is extremely important to us,” Picollo said. “I’m just really glad that we’re not in that position where we felt like we had to (sell).”
Instead, the Royals will turn their attention to the task of making up that ground in the wild-card race.
They begin with a tough three games against the Blue Jays, the surprising leaders of the AL East, before a set in Boston against a team currently holding down a wild-card spot. But then comes a tantalizing stretch of nine games — six in the friendly confines of Kauffman Stadium — against the Twins, White Sox and Nationals, all clubs with losing records.
Along the way, the Royals are hopeful that starters Cole Ragans and Michael Lorenzen can return from the injured list, further bolstering a staff that Picollo managed to make deeper and more talented at the trade deadline.
“You can’t be reckless about things. We have to be smart in what we do,” Picollo said. “When we talked about trying to win now and take care of the future, I think that’s what we did.”
