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Athletics trade Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to Padres for four players originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Athletics shook up their roster in a major way on Thursday.

The Green and Gold traded star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher J.P. Sears to the San Diego Padres for shortstop prospect Leodalis De Vries, the No. 3 prospect in baseball, and right-handed pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Báez and Eduarniel Nuñez, the team announced after ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the news.

The Athletics traded right-handed pitcher Mason Miller and left-handed pitcher JP Sears to the San Diego Padres for right-handed pitchers Henry Baez, Braden Nett and Eduarniel Núñez, and shortstop Leo De Vries, the club announced today.

— A's Communications (@AthleticsPR) July 31, 2025

The 26-year-old Miller was an MLB All-Star for the Athletics in 2024, and in 38 games this season, posted a 3.76 ERA with 59 strikeouts, 18 walks and 20 saves in 38 1/3 innings pitched.

Sears, the Athletics’ staff ace, posted a 4.95 ERA with 97 strikeouts to 29 walks in 111 innings pitched this season.

While both pitchers certainly were beloved by fans and within the organization, it appears the A’s got a haul from the Padres.

As mentioned, De Vries is the third-best prospect in all of baseball, per MLB.com, and in 82 games at the High-A level, the 18-year-old shortstop is batting .245/.357/.410 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases with a .767 OPS in 368 plate appearances.

Nett, a 23-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 3 prospect, and in 17 starts at the Double-A level, posted a 3.39 ERA with 86 strikeouts to 34 walks in 74 1/3 innings pitched.

Báez, a 22-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 13 prospect, and in 20 starts at the Double-A level, posted a very impressive 1.96 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 31 walks in 96 2/3 innings pitched.

Finally, Nuñez, a 26-year-old relief pitcher and San Diego’s No. 17 prospect, posted a 2.83 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 17 walks in 35 innings pitched across the Double- and Triple-A levels this season while surrendering two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work at the major-league level.

Athletics trade Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to Padres for four players originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Athletics shook up their roster in a major way on Thursday.

The Green and Gold traded star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher J.P. Sears to the San Diego Padres for shortstop prospect Leodalis De Vries, the No. 3 prospect in baseball, and right-handed pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Báez and Eduarniel Nuñez, the team announced after ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the news.

The Athletics traded right-handed pitcher Mason Miller and left-handed pitcher JP Sears to the San Diego Padres for right-handed pitchers Henry Baez, Braden Nett and Eduarniel Núñez, and shortstop Leo De Vries, the club announced today.

— A's Communications (@AthleticsPR) July 31, 2025

The 26-year-old Miller was an MLB All-Star for the Athletics in 2024, and in 38 games this season, posted a 3.76 ERA with 59 strikeouts, 18 walks and 20 saves in 38 1/3 innings pitched.

Sears, the Athletics’ staff ace, posted a 4.95 ERA with 97 strikeouts to 29 walks in 111 innings pitched this season.

While both pitchers certainly were beloved by fans and within the organization, it appears the A’s got a haul from the Padres.

As mentioned, De Vries is the third-best prospect in all of baseball, per MLB.com, and in 82 games at the High-A level, the 18-year-old shortstop is batting .245/.357/.410 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases with a .767 OPS in 368 plate appearances.

Nett, a 23-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 3 prospect, and in 17 starts at the Double-A level, posted a 3.39 ERA with 86 strikeouts to 34 walks in 74 1/3 innings pitched.

Báez, a 22-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 13 prospect, and in 20 starts at the Double-A level, posted a very impressive 1.96 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 31 walks in 96 2/3 innings pitched.

Finally, Nuñez, a 26-year-old relief pitcher and San Diego’s No. 17 prospect, posted a 2.83 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 17 walks in 35 innings pitched across the Double- and Triple-A levels this season while surrendering two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work at the major-league level.

Athletics trade Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to Padres for four players: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Athletics shook up their roster in a major way on Thursday.

The Green and Gold traded star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher J.P. Sears to the San Diego Padres for shortstop prospect Leodalis De Vries, the No. 3 prospect in baseball, and right-handed pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Báez and Eduarniel Nuñez, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported, citing sources.

BREAKING: The San Diego Padres are acquiring closer Mason Miller and starter J.P. Sears from the A's, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2025

Full trade, per ESPN sources:

Padres receive: Closer Mason Miller, LHP JP Sears

A's receive: SS Leodalis De Vries, RHP Braden Nett, RHP Henry Báez and RHP Eduarniel Nuñez

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2025

The 26-year-old Miller was an All-Star for the Athletics in 2024, and in 38 games this season, posted a 3.76 ERA with 59 strikeouts, 18 walks and 20 saves in 38 1/3 innings pitched.

Sears, the Athletics’ staff ace, posted a 4.95 ERA with 97 strikeouts to 29 walks in 111 innings pitched this season.

While both pitchers certainly were beloved by fans and within the organization, it appears the A’s got a haul from the Padres.

As mentioned, De Vries is the third-best prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com, and in 82 games at the High-A level, the 18-year-old shortstop is batting .245/.357/.410 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases with a .767 OPS in 368 plate appearances.

Nett, a 23-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 3 prospect, and in 17 starts at the Double-A level, posted a 3.39 ERA with 86 strikeouts to 34 walks in 74 1/3 innings pitched.

Báez, a 22-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 13 prospect, and in 20 starts at the Double-A level, posted a very impressive 1.96 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 31 walks in 96 2/3 innings pitched.

Finally, Nuñez, a 26-year-old relief pitcher and San Diego’s No. 17 prospect, posted a 2.83 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 17 walks in 35 innings pitched across the Double- and Triple-A levels this season while surrendering two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work at the major-league level.

What they're saying: grades for Phillies' trade for Jhoan Duran originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies made their big splash trade a full day before MLB’s trade deadline, sending two of their top prospects to Minnesota for Twins fireballing closer Jhoan Duran. It’s difficult to find many fans who would disapprove of the trade, but to get full perspective on this, we cast our net wider, and pulled in the many writers across the Interweb who have given out grades to the Phils and Twins for the swap.

Michael Rand, Minnesota Star Tribune – Twins: B, Phillies B+

What they’re saying: “It will be easier to judge this in a few years, obviously, but the bottom line is the Twins got a reasonable haul even if they didn’t get a can’t-miss prospect and sold high on Duran even if you are squeamish about losing him.

It’s a deal that benefits both teams for the stages they are at, but those two extra years of team control with Duran tip the scales a little more in the Phillies’ favor.”

Andy McCullough, Senior MLB Writer, The Athletic – Twins B, Phillies A

What they’re saying: “It’s an easy trade to like for both sides. The Phillies acquired possibly the best reliever on the market, and didn’t have to part with their best prospects. The Twins managed to get a big-league-ready pitcher with a decent floor and a catcher with potential. I guess the price was right.”

Chad Jennings, MLB Writer, The Athletic – Twins A-, Phillies A

What they’re saying: “Rather than trying to nickel and dime their way through quantity over quality, the Phillies went out and got the best shutdown closer on the market (one who’s under contract for two more seasons, just like Zack Wheeler). This is the Phillies’ window to win a title, and they got the piece that’s been hardest for them to find anywhere else.”

Tyler Kepner, Senior MLB Writer, The Athletic – Twins: A; Phillies B+

What they’re saying: “It’s hard to see the Twins regretting this deal. The Phillies might, in time, but they had no choice but to fix the bullpen, and Duran gives them a better chance to win a championship. That’s what matters most now.”

R.J. Anderson, CBS Sports MLB Writer – Phillies A, Twins B

What they’re saying: “Duran will ostensibly step into the ninth-inning role, giving the Phillies the kind of end-game cheat code they thought they had in suspended closer José Alvarado and hoped they were getting in free-agent signing Jordan Romano. Pair him with Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm and you start to have the makings of a reliable high-leverage situation.”

Jesse Yomtov, USA Today MLB Writer – Phillies A, Twins C-

What they’re saying: “Dave Dombrowski seized on his opportunity to get 2½ years of one of the best relievers in baseball in exchange for just a pair of prospects. It’s a huge addition for the Phillies, with Duran presumably assuming the ninth-inning role and taking a ton of pressure off the club’s other high-leverage guys. Philadelphia has the 27-year-old flamethrower under team control through 2027.”

What they're saying: Grades on Phillies' trade for Jhoan Duran originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies made their big-splash trade a full day before MLB’s trade deadline, sending two of their top prospects to Minnesota for Twins fireballing closer Jhoan Duran.

It’s difficult to find many fans who would disapprove of the trade, but to get full perspective on this, we cast our net wider, and pulled in the many writers across the interweb who have given out grades to the Phils and Twins for the swap.

Michael Rand, Minnesota Star Tribune – Twins B, Phillies B+

What they’re saying: “It will be easier to judge this in a few years, obviously, but the bottom line is the Twins got a reasonable haul even if they didn’t get a can’t-miss prospect and sold high on Duran even if you are squeamish about losing him.

“It’s a deal that benefits both teams for the stages they are at, but those two extra years of team control with Duran tip the scales a little more in the Phillies’ favor.”

Andy McCullough, Senior MLB Writer, The Athletic – Twins B, Phillies A

What they’re saying: “It’s an easy trade to like for both sides. The Phillies acquired possibly the best reliever on the market, and didn’t have to part with their best prospects. The Twins managed to get a big-league-ready pitcher with a decent floor and a catcher with potential. I guess the price was right.”

Chad Jennings, MLB Writer, The Athletic – Twins A-, Phillies A

What they’re saying: “Rather than trying to nickel and dime their way through quantity over quality, the Phillies went out and got the best shutdown closer on the market (one who’s under contract for two more seasons, just like Zack Wheeler). This is the Phillies’ window to win a title, and they got the piece that’s been hardest for them to find anywhere else.”

Tyler Kepner, Senior MLB Writer, The Athletic – Twins A; Phillies B+

What they’re saying: “It’s hard to see the Twins regretting this deal. The Phillies might, in time, but they had no choice but to fix the bullpen, and Duran gives them a better chance to win a championship. That’s what matters most now.”

R.J. Anderson, CBS Sports MLB Writer – Phillies A, Twins B

What they’re saying: “Duran will ostensibly step into the ninth-inning role, giving the Phillies the kind of end-game cheat code they thought they had in suspended closer José Alvarado and hoped they were getting in free-agent signing Jordan Romano. Pair him with Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm and you start to have the makings of a reliable high-leverage situation.”

Jesse Yomtov, USA Today MLB Writer – Phillies A, Twins C-

What they’re saying: “Dave Dombrowski seized on his opportunity to get 2½ years of one of the best relievers in baseball in exchange for just a pair of prospects. It’s a huge addition for the Phillies, with Duran presumably assuming the ninth-inning role and taking a ton of pressure off the club’s other high-leverage guys. Philadelphia has the 27-year-old flamethrower under team control through 2027.”

Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday on BBC Sportsound

Rangers are a work in progress and will definitely improve on what they've shown over the two legs.

There are a lot of things for them to work on and new faces will help as well.

Ex-Rangers striker Kris Boyd on Sky Sports

Some exciting players have arrived at Rangers - but Russell Martin is not silly, he will know that there is a lot of work to be done.

It's another tie out of the way, but they will have to tighten up defensively. Yes, Panathinaikos harassed Rangers and forced them into mistakes - but they were asking question after question of Rangers.

Former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell on BBC Sportsound

That's the big thing with Russell Martin - he thrives on the training ground.

The longer he has with his players, the better they will get. This Rangers team showed a bit of character today. It's all positive at the moment, they just need to keep this momentum going.

Ex-Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands on BBC Sportsound

If you keep playing that way with those type of players you are going to get caught out. They have not been good enough over the last two legs.

Rangers don't really have time. The style of play right now seems like it's not really working. That needs to be tidied up before the next round."

Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson on BBC Sportsound

Yes, they were lucky at times, but I liked the mentality of the players. Can it be better? Of course it can.

I was a little worried before the game and we really saw the seasons why, because Rangers were cut open so many times. They need a few more in the building if they are going to progress further.

Athletics trade Mason Miller, J.P. Sears to Padres for four prospects originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics shook up their roster in a major way on Thursday.

The Green and Gold traded star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher J.P. Sears to the San Diego Padres for shortstop prospect Leodalis De Vries, the No. 3 prospect in baseball, and right-handed pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Báez and Eduarniel Nuñez, the team announced after ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the news.

The Athletics traded right-handed pitcher Mason Miller and left-handed pitcher JP Sears to the San Diego Padres for right-handed pitchers Henry Baez, Braden Nett and Eduarniel Núñez, and shortstop Leo De Vries, the club announced today.

— A's Communications (@AthleticsPR) July 31, 2025

The 26-year-old Miller was an MLB All-Star for the Athletics in 2024, and in 38 games this season, posted a 3.76 ERA with 59 strikeouts, 18 walks and 20 saves in 38 1/3 innings pitched.

Sears, the Athletics’ staff ace, posted a 4.95 ERA with 97 strikeouts to 29 walks in 111 innings pitched this season.

While both pitchers certainly were beloved by fans and within the organization, it appears the A’s got a haul from the Padres.

As mentioned, De Vries is the third-best prospect in all of baseball, per MLB.com, and in 82 games at the High-A level, the 18-year-old shortstop is batting .245/.357/.410 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases with a .767 OPS in 368 plate appearances.

Nett, a 23-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 3 prospect, and in 17 starts at the Double-A level, posted a 3.39 ERA with 86 strikeouts to 34 walks in 74 1/3 innings pitched.

Báez, a 22-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 13 prospect, and in 20 starts at the Double-A level, posted a very impressive 1.96 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 31 walks in 96 2/3 innings pitched.

Finally, Nuñez, a 26-year-old relief pitcher and San Diego’s No. 17 prospect, posted a 2.83 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 17 walks in 35 innings pitched across the Double- and Triple-A levels this season while surrendering two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work at the major-league level.

Athletics reportedly trade Mason Miller, J.P. Sears to Padres for four players originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics shook up their roster in a major way on Thursday.

The Green and Gold traded star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher J.P. Sears to the San Diego Padres for shortstop prospect Leodalis De Vries, the No. 3 prospect in baseball, and right-handed pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Báez and Eduarniel Nuñez, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported, citing sources.

BREAKING: The San Diego Padres are acquiring closer Mason Miller and starter J.P. Sears from the A's, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2025

Full trade, per ESPN sources:

Padres receive: Closer Mason Miller, LHP JP Sears

A's receive: SS Leodalis De Vries, RHP Braden Nett, RHP Henry Báez and RHP Eduarniel Nuñez

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2025

The 26-year-old Miller was an All-Star for the Athletics in 2024, and in 38 games this season, posted a 3.76 ERA with 59 strikeouts, 18 walks and 20 saves in 38 1/3 innings pitched.

Sears, the Athletics’ staff ace, posted a 4.95 ERA with 97 strikeouts to 29 walks in 111 innings pitched this season.

While both pitchers certainly were beloved by fans and within the organization, it appears the A’s got a haul from the Padres.

As mentioned, De Vries is the third-best prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com, and in 82 games at the High-A level, the 18-year-old shortstop is batting .245/.357/.410 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases with a .767 OPS in 368 plate appearances.

Nett, a 23-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 3 prospect, and in 17 starts at the Double-A level, posted a 3.39 ERA with 86 strikeouts to 34 walks in 74 1/3 innings pitched.

Báez, a 22-year-old starting pitcher, is San Diego’s No. 13 prospect, and in 20 starts at the Double-A level, posted a very impressive 1.96 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 31 walks in 96 2/3 innings pitched.

Finally, Nuñez, a 26-year-old relief pitcher and San Diego’s No. 17 prospect, posted a 2.83 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 17 walks in 35 innings pitched across the Double- and Triple-A levels this season while surrendering two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work at the major-league level.

Red Sox acquire Steven Matz in trade to bolster pitching depth originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox have made their first move ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

The Red Sox acquired left-handed pitcher Steven Matz from the Cardinals in a trade that sends infield prospect Blaze Jordan to St. Louis, the teams announced late Wednesday night.

Matz, 34, is a longtime starter turned reliever who found success in the Cardinals’ bullpen this season, posting a 3.44 ERA and 1.182 WHIP over 55 innings. He’s made 172 career starts over an 11-year MLB career primarily split between the New York Mets and Cardinals but transitioned to a bullpen role late in the 2024 season.

Matz is a rental making $3.8 million on the final year of a four-year, $44 million contract, so the Red Sox will either need to re-sign him to a new deal this offseason or let him walk in free agency. Still, the veteran is a welcome addition to a staff that could use relief help behind All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, who currently is dealing with a minor back injury.

Matz’s past experience as a starter also gives Boston the flexibility to use him in spots starts or as a long reliever if necessary.

The Red Sox paid a price to land Matz, however. While Jordan was the 19th-ranked prospect in Boston’s system per SoxProspects.com, he’s skyrocketed through the minors and earned the call-up to Triple-A Worcester in June. The 22-year-old was slashing .298/.341/.480 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in 44 games with Worcester and boasts plenty of raw power.

Blazer to the berm! ☄️ pic.twitter.com/M9uzly7DwY

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 19, 2025

The Red Sox are clearly in win-now mode, though, and trading for a rental signals their intention to bolster the roster for a playoff push. At 59-51, the team currently occupies the second Wild Card spot in the American League and is five games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.

Boston still could use a legitimate mid-rotation starter, a catcher and a first baseman ahead of Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET MLB trade deadline, so we’ll see if chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has more moves to make.

What’s the opposite of a splash?

Because that’s how the Dodgers started their trade deadline activity late Wednesday night.

On the eve of MLB’s annual trade deadline (which is Thursday at 3 p.m. PDT), the Dodgers were the tertiary party in a three-team trade with the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays.

While the biggest piece in the deal — starting pitcher Zack Littell — went from Tampa Bay to Cincinnati, the Dodgers were included in a swap of some lesser-name players.

Minor league catcher Hunter Feduccia, a longtime Dodgers farmhand having a nice season with triple-A Oklahoma City, was sent to Tampa Bay.

In return, the Dodgers received pitching prospect Adam Serwinowski from the Reds, as well as reliever Paul Gervase and catcher Ben Rortvedt from the Rays, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

Serwinowski is the most intriguing name the Dodgers acquired. A 21-year-old left-hander who was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the Reds’ farm system by MLB Pipeline, the former 15th-round draft pick has been a favorite of Dodgers’ evaluators for a while, according to another person with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

While Serwinowski has a 4.84 ERA in high-A this season, the Dodgers are excited by his potential and add him to a farm system that is lacking the depth of impact pitching prospects it usually touts.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani leaves pitching start because of cramping, Dodgers go on to lose to Reds

Gervase is a 25-year-old reliever who debuted in the majors this year with the Rays, posting a 4.26 ERA in five outings this year.

Rortvedt is a 27-year-old journeyman catcher who will help provide organizational depth in Feduccia’s absence, alongside current triple-A backstops Chris Okey and Chuckie Robinson.

For a team that has been linked to some of the bigger names on this year’s trade market, it was far from the blockbuster many fans have been waiting on.

Granted, the Dodgers are still expected to be active on Thursday.

Their need for a reliever remains, even though they remained idle on Wednesday as other top options, from Jhoan Durán to Ryan Helsley to Tyler Rogers, were dealt elsewhere.

The club is still hoping to add another hitter to their lineup too, with an upgrade in the outfield (especially defensively) seen as a priority, according to a person with knowledge of the club’s thinking.

Whether the Dodgers can land the impact additions they seek, in what has been a seller’s market defined by high acquisition costs to this point, remains to be seen.

But at least they won’t go into deadline day without having made any deals, with Wednesday night’s late-night transaction expected to be the first of several moves they make ahead of Thursday’s trade cutoff.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

If the Mets are truly all-in at this trade deadline, as it seems after a whirlwind few hours on Wednesday, David Stearns still has work to do in addressing center field and starting pitching, but with closing time still a day away, he has already accomplished his most important task -- transforming the ballclub’s weakest link.

That is, a bullpen lacking depth and quality suddenly has a chance to be as deep and dominant as any in baseball after three trades for high-leverage relievers, two of them on Wednesday.

In acquiring submariner Tyler Rogers from the San Francisco Giants and 100-mph man Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals, in addition to last week’s deal for left-hander Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles, Stearns landed a haul of big-time bullpen arms.

Throw in Edwin Diaz as closer, a second lefthander in the recently returned Brooks Raley, while sliding Ryan Stanek and Reed Garrett down on the depth chart, with one more spot ideally for a multi-inning reliever…that’s an impressive array of arms.

A ton of swing-and-miss potential and a variety of different looks.

“That’s a bullpen you can win a championship with,” one NL scout told me Wednesday night. “I’ve got to give Stearns and that front office credit. They turned a weakness into a strength and with the moves they made, and I have to believe they’re not done.

“You don’t bring in a couple of big rentals if you’re not going for it. And they’ve built their farm system the last few years, so it’s deep enough to take some hits when you have this type of opportunity. So I’m curious to see what else they’re willing to do.”

Mets fans no doubt second that intriguing thought: after all, if this was Wednesday, what the heck could Thursday bring before the 6 p.m. deadline?

And just how high will Stearns go up his prospect list if it means acquiring a starting pitcher, say, Sandy Alcantara or Edward Cabrera? As it is, they landed Rogers and Helsley -- and Soto too -- without giving up any of their true blue-chip prospects, but it will take more to acquire either of those two starters.

It might be what they need, especially as Clay Holmes has struggled lately, raising the question of whether it’s time to move him back to the bullpen. That may not be as likely after all the bullpen trades, but there could still be a role for Holmes as a multi-inning reliever if indeed they were to acquire a front-line starter.

And then there is Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr., who could be the impact bat the Mets’ offense needs, in the perfect spot as an above-average center fielder.

But that won’t come cheap either. Would the Mets give up Luisangel Acuna and a couple of prospects for Robert? What about Mark Vientos?

For the moment, anything seems possible after Stearns’ dramatic bullpen makeover.

The quality of the arms speaks for themselves. But the depth the trades create was equally important, especially because the lack of length the Mets are getting from their starting pitchers has taxed and overtaxed the bullpen.

Now Carlos Mendoza can go to the likes of Garrett or Stanek in the middle innings, if necessary, and still have plenty of ammunition for the later innings.

He can also get aggressive in his use of two left-handers, perhaps bringing in Soto for a key matchup against Bryce Harper in, say, the sixth inning, knowing he still has Raley for later. Or vice versa.

And most importantly, in Rogers and Helsley, he has two very good options as the primary setup man for Diaz, depending on matchups.

The surprise move of the day was getting Rogers, in part because the Giants had been in the thick of contention until their current six-game losing streak knocked them way down in both the NL West and NL wild card standings.

And Rogers had been a huge piece of their bullpen, pitching to a 1.80 ERA in a league-high 53 appearances, with a 0.860 WHIP. Perhaps the best indication of his brilliance this season is his OPS+ number, which takes into account league and ballpark factors. League average is 100 – Rogers’ number is 216.

He doesn’t do it with velocity, but with the deception built into his submarine-style arm angle, throwing a frisbee slider and a hard-sinking two-seamer with arm action that hitters rarely see _ and most hate.

“Nobody squares him up,” said one scout.

Francisco Alvarez, who faced Rogers last weekend in San Francisco, summed it up just as succinctly as he talked to reporters on Wednesday in San Diego, “Thank God we don’t have to face him anymore.”

Rogers can be a free agent this winter, but the Mets gave up more than what is typical for a rental, likely because they had to outbid other teams. On first blush the package of Drew Gilbert, Blade Tidwell, and Jose Butto seemed like a lot, but scouts I spoke to said the stock for both Gilbert and Tidwell has dropped over the last couple of years, with one saying “neither of them projects as an above-average major leaguer.”

As for Helsley, he’s having an up-and-down season but has been very good lately, allowing one run in his last 11 appearances. His 100-mph fastball has been hit hard, which speaks to a lack of command, but his slider has been lights-out _ opponents are hitting .042 against it.

To get him, the Mets sent a package headed by infielder Jesus Baez, a solid prospect but hardly a can’t-miss.

“He’s got tools but doesn’t have great baseball instincts,” one scout told me.

Scouts have been wrong before, of course, so we’ll see. But the bigger point is that this is the right time for Stearns to make calls on his prospects, after the Mets did a good job creating a surplus the last few years, and that’s exactly what he’s doing.

With perhaps more to come.