Every week, the Pitcher List team will publish an update to our power rankings, highlighting three teams among the different tiers of contention. As always, the full rankings can be found at the bottom of this article, but where’s the fun in that?
The trade deadline came and went with no superstars trading uniforms, but that was offset by a number of challenge trades that will make the rest of the season an eventful one. Teams like the Yankees, Mets, Phillies, and Mariners gathered headlines, while the Dbacks, Orioles, and even the Rockies pulled the plug on some significant changes to their rosters. At both extremes of that spectrum, today we highlight the Padres (good!) and the Twins (terrible!), as both executed franchise-altering moves.
Also, the Marlins may be for real, and deserve the longform treatment even as the NL playoff chase appears to be set between six juggernauts. However, the AL is barely getting started, with the Yankees suddenly in real danger of missing out and the Central’s pesky teams refusing to quit. With 17 teams within five games of a playoff spot, there is still plenty to discuss, but the deadline at least served as a turning point for those who have higher aspirations than simply playing in October.
Contender
No. 10 – San Diego Padres (62-50, +36)
While the trade deadline had some clear buyers as the final stretch approached, it was not as evident what the San Diego Padres would do. With a muddled wild-card picture as early as ten days ago, it seemed as if some kind of retooling was in order for the Friars, especially as it was unlikely that they could challenge the Dodgers atop the NL West. Lo and behold, a five-game winning streak to close July, which coincided with the Giants imploding, set up San Diego as the clear pick to at least earn the third wild card spot.
In that regard, the decision became much easier for AJ Preller and the front office, as the likelihood of another playoff ticket was enough to again go all-in and chase that elusive pennant.
Being a San Diego Padres fan on trade deadline day in the AJ Preller era is not for the weak. Only the strong survive. #ForTheFaithful
— Connor (@23cmcpadres) July 31, 2025
While the industry consensus suggests that the Padres may have overpaid in their flurry of trades, including giving up top prospect Leo De Vries to the A’s, the fact is that the roster was fortified in several key areas of need and also created a super bullpen in the process. Dealing with the Orioles for three players was particularly important, as San Diego added an above-average utility infielder in Ramón Urías, a slugger in a career year in Ryan O’Hearn, and a serviceable outfielder in Ramón Laureano. All three have the tools to play a meaningful role down the stretch, similar to new catcher Freddy Fermin, who should serve as a nice insurance policy at a lackluster position.
However, the biggest stroke of creativity came in the form of Mason Miller, who was not really mentioned among the top relievers who were primed for a trade. By dangling De Vries as a sweetener for the A’s, they simply could not refuse, especially if the prospect fulfills his promise, as while Miller may be great, he is still a reliever. That is irrelevant for what the Padres are trying to do, as that move is consistent with their all-in approach that has popped out time and again over their latest era. The addition of Miller gives the Padres a formidable trio to shorten games, as Jason Adam and Robert Suarez can now be optimized according to matchups.
With the team responding by earning a weekend series win over the Cardinals, the Friars are in excellent shape to have a strong August, which includes a weird stretch of 13 straight games against either the Dodgers or Giants. With such a strong message from the front office and ownership towards winning, expect the local fans to continue to embrace this era of Padres baseball. Even as the team is still not perfect, they have given themselves a chance to have a deep playoff run, which is not something all front offices are willing to do at this stage.
The Middle
No. 14 – Miami Marlins (55-55, -40)
Playing with the league’s lowest payroll, largely considered an afterthought in the tough NL East, the Marlins have completed the first leg of a remarkable turnaround, which included standing mostly pat at the trade deadline. The 2025 season in Miami was seen mostly as an audition for an imminent Sandy Alcantara trade, paired with development from their young core, which was not particularly exciting.
For a good part of two months, it all played out that way, albeit with a disappointing Alcantara struggling to get back in baseball form. A 23-33 record through May was par for the course, with the only positive development coming from the fact that they were at least not bad enough to fall into the East’s cellar. From there, though, a nice June was followed by a superb July, as the Marlins started by becoming a pest to contenders and ended by becoming a possible contender themselves.
The incredible turnaround is compete!
The Miami Marlins sweep the Yankees for the first time in franchise history and are back to .500 at 55-55.
The Fish were 24-40 on June 11. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/cyeIzgPesn
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) August 3, 2025
By keeping Alcantara and having the return of Eury Perez go better than planned, suddenly the Marlins are thinking of October baseball, even as it is still quite unlikely. With the team 7.5 games back in the division and six back for the third wild card, the odds are stacked well against Miami, but that does not consider just how well this team is playing, including a clear chemistry and camaraderie among its young roster.
The weekend’s shocking sweep of the Yankees was a masterclass regarding the many ways this team is able to win and how it can become dangerous down the stretch. The opening game was a barn-burner, with the Marlins recovering from a 9-4 deficit in the seventh and then winning via walk-off, as the offense racked up 12 hits and eight walks, capitalizing in several RISP situations. The middle contest was dominated by Perez, as the Marlins shut down the mighty Yankees by a 2-0 score. Finally, the sweep was secured following a combination of both game plans, as a solid Edward Cabrera start was backed up by a timely offense that jumped to a 6-0 lead. In the process, the Marlins earned their first-ever sweep of the Yankees and are now the only MLB franchise with a historical winning record over the Bombers.
Outside of Kyle Stowers and his 25 homers, there are not many statistical standouts in this offense, while Perez is probably the only starter that would be considered a true ace for a possible playoff start, but the team is finding ways to win day in and day out. Extra-inning games appear to be the only relevant split where the Marlins have been great, but the bullpen has also become a weapon to make leads stand, somehow making up for a run differential that still spells out impending doom for this team.
A tricky schedule to start August will reveal if Miami can actually take this turnaround into another gear, with a challenging 10-game road trip to Atlanta, Cleveland, and Boston. The Marlins have nothing to lose, and any positive player development that comes from this season will be just a bonus for how this ever-mysterious franchise decides to build towards 2026 and beyond. Count them out at your own risk, as this could become one of the best stories of the season.
Wait ’til 2026
No. 24 – Minnesota Twins (52-59, -34)
There are many ways to process what the Minnesota Twins just did at the deadline, as it can range from a list of sensible baseball moves to an absolute travesty of management. Regardless of where you stand, it is still shocking to see it succinctly put in graphic form:
The Minnesota Twins were in a slump. Now, they are a dumpster fire.
They literally traded whatever talent they had for unproven prospects, including someone with a 7 ERA.
What a joke. Pohlads ruined the team for a long time… pic.twitter.com/xluAD3eUeb
— Anthony Laurie (@AnthonyLaurie89) August 1, 2025
Even as a few teams, namely the Diamondbacks, Rockies, and Orioles, were cold in their calculation of becoming sellers at the deadline, what the Twins accomplished is in a league of their own. By shipping away nine players on the active roster, including six of their top 12 performers in terms of WAR, Minnesota has waved a huge white flag on 2025, while also raising a number of valid questions regarding the future of the franchise. With only Byron Buxton and Pablo López on the books for 2026, it is clear that ownership has made it a priority to clear as much money as possible as they look to sell the franchise.
However, whatever financial incentive gained by clearing debt is bound to be cancelled by the lousy product the team will have on the field, which could in turn make the Twins a not-so-hot commodity for potential buyers. It is thus that a once-promising season has devolved into this mess. Not so long ago, Minnesota enjoyed an amazing 13-game winning streak that remains the longest across MLB in 2025, giving the team a clear path towards at least wild card contention. Alas, injuries and effectiveness derailed some of this momentum and led the Twins towards a middling record, with the Twins going 20-33 since the start of June.
While that was disappointing, the overreaction of selling off most of their assets instead of executing a quick retool will always be baffling for Minnesota fans. In a division like the AL Central, there are plenty of opportunities to turn things around, as evidenced by how the Guardians and Royals approached the deadline while holding on to most of their coveted players. Minnesota at least managed to keep Joe Ryan, and Buxton is enjoying a career year, while Royce Lewis is still cheap and on the roster, but the players received in their multiple trades are far from sure things, making this a tricky rebuild on many levels for the organization.
After finally breaking their ignominious playoff losing streak just two seasons ago, it seems that it will now be even tougher to get to October for this long-suffering fanbase.
