2025 Trade Deadline
August 6, 2025
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Winners
Mariners
IN:
IF Josh Naylor
LHP Caleb Ferguson
IF Eugenio Suárez
OUT:
LHP Brandyn Garcia
RHP Ashton Izzi
RHP Jeter Martinez
IF Tyler Locklear
RHP Hunter Cranton
RHP Juan Burgos
The biggest winners this deadline. It has been five years of a Mariners squad known for its elite pitching, while consistently searching for more offensive firepower and stability. After falling one game short of the AL Wild Card in 2024, the Seattle faithful were hoping for a big offseason to get the lineup over the edge. After an underwhelming offseason signing Donovan Solano and bringing back Jorge Polanco, the Mariners didn’t pull any punches this deadline. Firstly, bringing in Josh Naylor to anchor a first-base position looking for a steady bat. A great addition in of itself, they followed it by landing the hottest bat at the deadline in Eugenio Suarez. A former Mariner who signed with Arizona following the 2023 season, Suarez returns to Seattle a new hitter, displaying more pop than ever before. MLB highlighted his breakout in a recent Baseball Savant article detailing the underlying metrics behind his resurgence. What makes this deadline a winner is what they didn’t give up. With probably one of the deepest farm systems in the league, Seattle was able to get two exceptionally impactful bats while still holding onto all 8 prospects listed in MLB’s Top 100, and without surrendering anyone in the organization’s top 10. An exciting deadline for a fanbase itching for October.
Phillies
IN:
RHP Jhoan Duran
OF Harrison Bader
RHP Matt Manning
OUT:
C Eduardo Tait
RHP Mick Abel
RHP Geremy Villoria
OF Hendry Mendez
OF Josueth Quinonez
When closer José Alvarado was handed an 80-game suspension, becoming ineligible for the postseason, it became clear Philadelphia would be hunting for a closer. Jhoan Duran is about as exciting as they come in the 9th. With an electric 98 mph splitter/sinker, 4-seam sitting triple digits, and an elite knuckle-curve, Duran is a perfect mix of velocity and movement that causes chaos for hitters. Splashy moves are nothing new for Dave Dombrowksi, and Duran was one of the biggest gets this deadline. An elite closer to complement an elite starting rotation. Another great move was the acquisition of a very underrated player in Harrison Bader. Bader adds further depth in center field to complement the elite fielding of Rojas while adding some more stability at the plate. Besides the fact that these additions are beneficial to production on the field, what makes me love this team’s deadline is the opportunity for Jhoan Duran’s entrance during Red October, talk about adrenaline.
Blue Jays
IN:
RHP Seranthony Domínguez
RHP Shane Bieber
C Brandon Valenzuela
RHP Louis Varland
IF Ty France
OUT:
RHP Juaron Watts-Brown
RHP Khal Stephen
IF Will Wagner
OF Alan Roden
LHP Kendry Rojas
One of the biggest surprises this season, the Toronto Blue Jays exploded in June, charging their way from only 3 games over .500 on June 1st to tied for the most wins in the MLB by deadline day. There isn’t much that needs to be improved for this squad. With the resurgence of George Springer, the offense has been cooking. The rotation has been surprisingly reliable, and Eric Lauer has been a wonder, dropping his ERA by almost 4 total runs compared to last year. José Berríos has been steady, while Gausman and Bassitt have been reliable as always, eating innings and putting the team in a spot to win. I love the upside play in Shane Bieber, if anything, as a depth piece for the playoffs, despite the valuable prospect given up in Khal Stephen. The only really middling aspect of this club down the stretch has been the bullpen. Seranthony Domínguez has been phenomenal with xBA, average exit velo, whiff %, k%, and hard-hit % all ranking above the 90th percentile. With Brendon Little already surpassing a career high in innings, the addition of Dominguez provides some more support at middle relief. The addition of Louis Varland was quietly one of the best moves around the league, sporting a 2.12 ERA and a groundball rate of 56.3%, landing in the 95th percentile. Ty France is another nice depth piece that can rotate between 1B and DH when needed.
Yankees
IN:
IF Ryan MacMahon
IF Amed Rosario
OF Austin Slater
RHP Camilo Doval
RHP Jake Bird
IF José Caballero
RHP David Bednar
OF Wilberson De Pena
OUT:
RHP Josh Grosz
LHP Griffin Herring
RHP Clayton Beeter
OF Browm Martinez
RHP Gage Ziehl
C Jesus Rodriguez
RHP Trystan Vierling
IF Parks Harber
LHP Carlos De La Rosa
IF Roc Riggio
LHP Ben Shields
OF Everson Pereira
C Rafael Flores
C Edgleen Perez
OF Brian Sanchez
IF Oswald Peraza
The Yankees were one of the more active teams last week, kicking it off with the acquisition of Ryan McMahon from the Rockies. The third baseman brings much-needed defense prowess at the hot corner, an area where the Yankees were seriously lacking. McMahon comes to the Bronx with a Fielding Run Value of 4 (82nd percentile) and 4 Outs Above Average (91st percentile). Offensively, with a career of steady production, a slight improvement in his Pull AIR % could help him take full advantage of Yankee Stadium, easing the transition from Coors Field. I also really like the decision to add Amed Rosario. While McMahon will likely carry the majority of the workload at third base, he has struggled his whole career against left-handed pitching. Enter Rosario, who is holding a .322 batting average and an .865 OPS against lefties. Could a slight platoon be in the works?
In the weeks leading up to the deadline, Yankees GM Brian Cashman stated that no prospect was untouchable; however, certain chips like George Lombard Jr., Carlos Lagrange, and Spencer Jones were going to be a lot harder to part with. Yankee relievers, since July 1st held an ERA over 6, ranking 29th in the MLB. In 2025, leading up to the deadline, the Yankee pen lands 11th in BAA, 23rd in BB/9, 14th in opponent SLG, and 16th in WHIP, with 21 losses attributed to the bullpen, tied for 22nd. Bullpen help needed to be the main focus. David Bednar and Camilo Doval, when on and healthy, have shown excellent stuff out of the bullpen through their careers. These two, with the addition of Jake Bird, provide crucial reinforcements to a Yankee bullpen, fighting through the IL stints of Leiter Jr, Loáisiga, Cruz, and Yarbrough. The Yankees did an excellent job acquiring impact arms who were not at the cost of top prospects. Not being able to add a starting pitcher, however, makes me hesitant to call the Yankees the big winners.
Great Job
Mets
IN:
LHP Gregory Soto
RHP Tyler Rogers
RHP Ryan Helsley
OF Cedric Mullins
OUT:
RHP Wellington Aracena
RHP Cameron Foster
RHP Blade Tidwell
RHP José Buttó
OF Drew Gilbert
IF Jesus Baez
RHP Frank Elissalt
RHP Nate Dohm
RHP Raimon Gomez
RHP Anthony Nunez
RHP Chandler Marsh
This round of the Subway Series was a battle of who could come out of the deadline with the better bullpen. With the acquisitions of Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers, and the return of Edwin Diaz, the back end of the Mets' bullpen is as dangerous as any team’s. I feel that at times, Tyler Rogers' abilities get slightly overlooked due to his extremely unconventional submarine delivery. Rocking a 1.76 ERA and a WHIP under 1.00, Rogers has been fantastic with elite walk and groundball rates. The idea of Rogers, followed by either Diaz or Helsley is something Mets fans can smile about. In addition, Gregory Soto has been fantastic this season, especially in left-on-left matchups, holding lefty hitters to a .143 AVG and a .537 OPS. With Ryne Stanek showing signs of decline, New York did a great job shoring up the bullpen, a theme that seemed to be contagious this year. To cap it off, they acquired long-time Oriole Cedric Mullins. Despite being an elite defender, Tyrone Taylor was not giving much, if any, production offensively. By replacing him with Mullins, you add an equally capable defender, but with a much higher ceiling at the plate. Just one year removed from 18 home runs and 32 stolen bases. There are a couple of reasons I didn’t include the Mets among the top winners. First, despite how good Rogers has been this year, the Mets gave up a notable haul. Number 12 prospect Drew Gilbert holds an .831 OPS through all three levels of the minors this season. Number 10 prospect Blade Tidwell, though he has struggled, displays impressive raw stuff, including a fastball hitting upper 90s and a couple of really strong breaking pitches. Meanwhile, reliever Jose Butto has been perfectly reliable in relief. That is a group with a lot of potential in exchange for a non-closing relief pitcher who will be a free agent in 3 months. I also have slight concerns about the lineup. I would think in the long run the order has enough thump to get by; however, with the serious recent cold streaks from Alonso and Lindor and a couple of offensive question marks around the diamond, it wouldn't have hurt to add another impact bat.
Rangers
IN:
RHP Merrill Kelly
LHP Danny Coulombe
RHP Phil Maton
OUT:
LHP Kohl Drake
LHP Mitch Bratt
RHP David Hagaman
LHP Garrett Horn
LHP Mason Molina
RHP Skylar Hales
I don’t think it is crazy to say the Rangers, currently fighting for the last Wildcard, have the potential to be a nightmare matchup in October. Texas had the lowest starting rotation ERA in the game before the deadline. The loss of Tyler Mahle is a serious blow, but they responded aggressively in adding Merrill Kelly, who now joins an already stacked rotation of Nathan Eovaldi (249 ERA+), Jacob Degrom (132 ERA+), young up-and-comer Jack Leiter, and a renewed Patrick Corbin. The Rangers have a 1-2-3 punch only really rivaled by the trio out of Philadelphia. Relievers Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton have both been excellent in 2025. Maton, with a Savant page littered in red, fits the mold of a high leverage reliever that a team fighting for the playoffs needs. It is curious, however, that a lineup ranked 27th in wRC+ (92) did not make any offensive additions. Outside of Josh Smith and Corey Seager, there has been a lack of consistency at the plate all season. Perhaps this silence suggests the front office still has belief in the bats in-house, or they’re betting on a late-season turnaround. I still believe that this current team is a hot streak away from being a real threat.
Could've Done Better
Astros
IN:
IF Ramón Urías
IF Carlos Correa
OF Jesús Sánchez
OUT:
RHP Twine Palmer
LHP Matt Mikulski
RHP Ryan Gusto
SS Chase Jaworsky
OF Esmil Valencia
If there were an award for best feel-good deadline, it would be handed to the Astros after bringing back World Series champion and long-time franchise cornerstone Carlos Correa. Although having a down year, you can never count out Correa to produce in big spots. One year removed from an All-Star season putting up a .905 OPS, there is hope that being back to where his roots are can kickstart something. Something that can’t be put on a stat sheet is the veteran leadership and postseason pedigree that Correa brings with him. Although a fantastic fielder at shortstop, Correa agreed to move to 3rd base for the first time in his career to keep young star Jeremy Peña at his original shortstop position. Jesús Sánchez is also quietly having himself a very nice year. He joins Cam Smith and Jake Meyers in the outfield, likely taking the place of a struggling Chas McCormick. Where this deadline falls short is the lack of grabbing a starting pitcher. An Astros team that was only 3.5 games up on the fast-charging Mariners currently has 6 starting pitchers on the IL. While Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, and Spencer Arrighetti are currently making rehab starts, it remains to be seen what type of production they will provide coming off of 60-day stints, with 2 of them coming off of Tommy John. Hunter Brown is going to receive Cy Young votes this year and has done a great job filling those starts; however, he has struggled since the start of July. If anyone needed serious reinforcements at starting pitching, it is the Houston Astros. A first-place team that has Seattle hot on their tail, more needed to be done.
Losers
Red Sox
IN:
LHP Steven Matz
RHP Dustin May
OUT:
IF Blaze Jordon
OF James Tibbs III
OF Zach Erhard
One of the hottest teams in the MLB going into the deadline, the Red Sox were expected to be aggressive buyers. The main focus was a starting pitcher that could create a formidable 1-2 punch with ace Garrett Crochet. In the days leading up to the 31st, Boston was mostly linked to Merrill Kelly and Joe Ryan. With the Rangers snatching up Kelly about 40 minutes before 6:00 pm, the main focus was shifted to Joe Ryan. Despite a notable final push, and much to the fanbase’s dismay, Boston was unable to get it across the finish line. Instead, they landed Dustin May from the Dodgers. Although facing some recent struggles, May has some of the best stuff in baseball when right. Seeing the work that pitching coach Andrew Bailey has done with Giolito and Bello, it is very intriguing if the Sox can get some of that old production out of the right-hander. The better of the two moves was grabbing Steven Matz from the Cardinals. A left-handed relief pitcher amid a fantastic first season as a full-time reliever. An already stellar bullpen received further support, most likely to give Brennan Bernardino, who has been an extremely solid lefty option, some much-needed rest as he is on pace to set a career mark in games appeared in. A solid win-win exchange, Craig Breslow was able to get a high-quality relief option in exchange for a promising Blaze Jordon, who will be Rule 5 eligible and tough to fit in the state of the current lineup. What makes this deadline underwhelming is the inability to acquire a confidently reliable starter. Walker Buehler and Richard Fitts remain question marks, Hunter Dobbins is out for the season (torn ACL), and Giolito faces looming workload concerns. For a team clearly in the postseason mix, the fanbase feels the frustration, especially after Breslow signaled buying intentions following the Rafael Devers trade.
As I put some finishing touches on this section on August 2nd, some further information on the Joe Ryan negotiations came to light. According to Red Sox reporter Rob Bradford, various sources confirm that Boston put multiple Top 100 prospects on the table, namely Peyton Tolle, Franklin Arias, and Jhostnyxon Garcia, among other minor leaguers. Although still alleged, it seems Breslow made a concerted effort to land the Twins' right-hander. If true, it’s possible that Minnesota wasn’t satisfied with the particular packages being put together, or they had their eyes set on a big leaguer like Wilyeur Abreu or Jarren Duran, whose names were widely floated around the league. With how much the big league roster has been clicking lately, it is no surprise that Breslow wasn’t willing to subtract from the big league lineup without a substantial return. In a deadline that was an overall non-factor for starting pitching, May could have been a last-ditch pivot once realizing the hefty price for Ryan, acquiring him only 12 minutes before the deadline. However, Boston is still a team that is poised to do damage in October. But in a year where the AL feels wide open, this deadline might be reduced to a missed opportunity to turn into true World Series contenders.
Cubs
IN:
RHP Andrew Kittredge
LHP Taylor Rogers
RHP Michael Soroka
UTIL Willi Castro
OUT:
IF Wilfri De La Cruz
OF Ivan Brethowr
IF Ronny Cruz
OF Christian Franklin
RHP Sam Armstrong
RHP Ryan Gallagher
Few teams can match the top-to-bottom firepower of the Chicago Cubs. A lineup that’s anchored by Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, Carson Kelly, Michael Busch, and Pete Crow-Armstrong, supported by the likes of Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, and Dansby Swanson. It has been one of the most productive groups all year. The addition of Willi Castro only reinforces that strength. A stable utility presence with the ability to play every position except catcher and first base, Castro brings lineup depth and exceptional flexibility on defense. The biggest question mark has been in the pitching department. Entering the deadline, Chicago ranked 23rd in opponent SLG, 20th in opponent BA, and 25th in HR/9. This was a chance for the Cubs to turn from a playoff threat to a serious World Series contender. Shota Imanaga continues to deliver; however, the rotation behind him has been inconsistent. Justin Steele was lost to Tommy John in April, and while Matthew Boyd has stepped up in a big way, the depth starts to thin. Remaining options include Jameson Taillon (4.44 ERA, currently on the IL), Colin Rea (4.23 ERA), and rookie Cade Horton, who has been solid with a 3.42 ERA. While the staff has held things together so far, the under-the-hood metrics don’t bode well for an optimistic outlook, especially in the postseason. Andrew Kittredge has been really good out of the pen and comes in to support Brad Keller in setup for Daniel Palencia, who has been excellent in the closing role this year. Risky addition Michael Soroka, although listed as a bullpen arm on the Cubs' official website, will serve as a starter like he was in Washington to provide further depth to the rotation. Although the Cubs were victims of a deadline that was stagnant on starting pitching, like many teams, I would have liked to see a little more effort in this area. Especially for a team that is on the brink of being a serious player for the Commissioner’s Trophy.
What Just Happened
Padres
IN:
RHP Mason Miller
RHP JP Sears
IF/DH Ryan O’Hearn
OF Ramón Laureano
IF Will Wagner
LHP Nestor Cortes
IF Jorge Quintana
C Freddy Fermin
OUT:
IF Leo De Vries (SDP #1, MLB #3)
RHP Braden Nett (SDP #3)
LHP Boston Bateman (SDP #4)
IF Cobb Hightower (SDP #6)
RHP Ryan Bergert (SDP #7)
RHP Tyson Neighbors (SDP #12)
RHP Henry Baez (SDP #13)
RHP Eduarniel Núñez (SDP #17)
C Brandon Valenzuela (SDP #26)
IF Victor Figueroa (SDP #29)
RHP Tanner Smith
IF Brandon Butterworth
OF Brandon Lockridge
RHP Stephen Kolek
It is official, A.J. Preller is all in. After a handful of extremely promising seasons, displaying one of the most electric lineups in baseball and a bullpen that is nothing short of elite, it seems every year should be the Padres’. Seemingly out of nowhere, San Diego acquired flamethrower Mason Miller to further reinforce an already elite bullpen. They also added All-Star starter Ryan O’Hearn, bringing with him a 132 wRC+ with fantastic defense at first base. To provide some more rotation depth, JP Sears was brought in, while Ramón Laureano, in the midst of a career season, arrives to strengthen a seemingly weak left field spot. I also like the under-the-radar play for Freddy Fermin to provide some support for Elias Díaz behind the dish. There is a reason this is the only team I included the prospect rankings for. The Padres are fully committed to winning now. San Diego is charging towards October full steam ahead.
Athletics
IN:
IF Leo De Vries (MLB #3)
RHP Henry Baez
RHP Eduarniel Núñez
RHP Braden Nett
RHP Kenya Huggins
OUT:
RHP Mason Miller
LHP JP Sears
OF Miguel Andujar
I have long stood by the idea that an elite closer can be one of the most valuable pieces an eliminated team can hold in late July. In fact, I was adamant that in 2023, when the Pirates had NL save leader David Bednar with 3 ½ years of control left, that the smartest thing to do would be to trade him as soon as possible. Aside from starting pitching, which remains a sought-after commodity year-round, closers – to a playoff contender – are often the difference-makers in October. The Athletics did exactly that and got paid handsomely for it. In large part thanks to A.J. Preller’s extreme ambition, the A’s now possess the #3 prospect in all of baseball, 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries. For a team still a couple of years away from serious playoff contention, De Vries is now surrounded by a fantastic young core in Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker, and Lawrence Butler. SCARY