This MLB trade deadline shook baseball’s foundation. Not only did the best young hitter get traded, but the best closer in the game was dealt, too. Both players are still under club control, which led to better hauls for the surrendering team.
Both of those players went to one team: The San Diego Padres.
San Diego entered Tuesday 12 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West but held the No. 2 wild card. While picking up right fielder Juan Soto, a generational hitter, for a haul of prospects and left-handed closer Josh Hader for a pair of major-leaguers and two prospects, the Padres are setting themselves up for what is to come in the postseason.
Those weren’t the only players the Padres added by Tuesday’s deadline (remember there is not a waiver trade deadline anymore), but you can read all about what the Padres and other contenders did in the recaps below. Although a few teams battling for playoff spots, notably the top two teams in the NL Central both looking for a big bat, were left standing in the game of musical chairs.
A slew of players were designated for assignment by contenders as a result of the trades, while the sellers called up prospects to fill the roster voids left by fan favorites. Such is the business side of baseball.
Here is every single trade made across the final week of baseball’s trade deadline and the impact they made.
(Note: Number in parentheses is where the prospect was ranked by MLBPipeline.com at the time of the trade.)
TUESDAY – 8/2
Padres get: OF Juan Soto, 1B Josh Bell
Nationals get: LHP MacKenzie Gore, DH Luke Voit, SS C.J. Abrams, OF Robert Hassell III (No. 1), OF James Wood (No. 3), RHP Jarlin Susana (No. 14)
Why it happened: A trade that will reverberate through baseball for years, maybe history. Soto rejected a 15-year, $440 million contract extension a few weeks ago from the Nationals, who are likely to have new ownership this offseason. Soto, 23, is still under team control for two more seasons and is making $17.1 million this year. He is the second major acquisition at the deadline, coming less than 24 hours after A.J. Preller dealt for MLB’s top closer, Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers (see details below). The Padres needed more production from their outfield and Soto certainly fill that void. The left-handed hitter, compared often to San Diego native Ted Williams, has a career slash line of .291/.427/.538 with 119 homers and 538 RBIs. But he has scuffled average-wise this season with a .246/.408/.485 line to go along with 21 homers and 46 RBIs. Soto, who homered and walked three times in his final game for the Nationals on Monday, pairs well with third baseman Manny Machado atop the Padres’ lineup. Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to return this month from a wrist surgery that has sidelined him all season. Bell is a free agent after this season and is slashing .301/.384/.493 with 14 homers and 57 RBIs and provides more consistency than Eric Hosmer, who reportedly exercised his no-trade clause and won’t be going to Washington (see below for more on Hosmer).
What do the Nationals get? Gore, formerly the Padres’ top prospect, made his MLB debut this season and has been a solid part of the Padres’ rotation, with a 4.50 ERA and 37 walks and 72 strikeouts in 70 innings covering 16 appearances (13 starts). He went on the 15-day injured list last week due to left elbow inflammation and is expected to return in September. Voit replaced Hosmer in the deal. Traded by the Yankees just before Opening Day, Voit slashed .225/.317/.416 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs. Abrams also made his MLB debut this season and has shuttled between Triple-A and the majors. The sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft has a career slash line of .334/.388/.522 in the minors with 12 homers and 73 RBIs over 106 games. Hassell, a center fielder, is the Padres’ No. 1 prospect and No. 21 overall in MLB. The 20-year-old was the eighth overall selection in the 2020 draft and was slashing .299/.379/.467 at High-A this season with 10 homers and 55 RBIs. Wood, like Hassell a left-handed hitter, was a second-round pick in 2021 and is slashing .321/.439/.565 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 55 games at Low-A, his first full season as a pro. Susana was signed as an international free agent in January and has a 2.91 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 29⅓ innings in the Arizona Complex League.
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Red Sox get: 1B Eric Hosmer, 2B Max Ferguson (No. 11), OF Corey Rosier (No. 26), cash
Padres get: LHP Jay Groome (No. 11)
Why it happened: Hosmer was knocked out of the Padres’ lineup with the acquisition of Josh Bell in the Juan Soto deal, and Hosmer not wanting to go to the Nationals per his 10-team no-trade clause. So the Padres scrambled and found a taker in the Red Sox, who were on the fence as a buyer or seller at the deadline. The Padres, however, are paying a significant portion of the remaining three years, $39 million of Hosmer’s contract. Ferguson and Rosier had been at High-A for the Padres. Groome, 23, was the top-rated prospect entering the 2016 Draft but dropped to the Red Sox at No. 12 due to signability and makeup issues. He has a 3.59 ERA with 45 walks and 96 strikeouts in 92⅔ innings (19 games, 17 starts) at Double-A and Triple-A this year.
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Dodgers get: OF-1B Joey Gallo
Yankees get: RHP Clayton Beeter (No. 15)
Why it happened: Gallo has struggled in what amounts to basically one season with the Yankees. Since being the centerpiece of a six-player deal with the Texas Rangers, Gallo has slashed .159/.291/.368 with 25 homers and 46 RBIs. Not exactly what the Yankees were expecting from the all-or-nothing left-handed slugger who has hit 38 or more homers in three of his eight seasons. The Dodgers are rolling the dice with Gallo and gave up Beeter, a second-round competitive balance draft pick in 2020 who has posted a 5.75 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) at Double-A this year.
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Twins get: RHP Jorge López
Orioles get: LHP Cade Povich (No. 22), RHP Yennier Cano (NR), LHP Juan Rojas (NR), RHP Juan Nunez (NR)
Why it happened: López, a waiver claim by the Orioles in 2020 who was on the bubble of being waived again, was an All-Star this season and has a 1.68 ERA with 17 walks and 54 strikeouts in 48⅓ innings. López has converted 19 of 23 save opportunities. He shores up the back end of the Twins’ bullpen, which had been held down by right-handers Jhoan Duran and rookie Griffin Jax. Only Povich was in the Twins’ top-30 list, per MLBPipeline.com. He had a 4.46 ERA at High-A.
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Blue Jays get: RHP Anthony Bass, RHP Zach Pop
Marlins get: SS-3B Jordan Groshans (No. 4)
Why it happened: Needing an influx in the bullpen, the Jays got a pair of arms to aid closer Jordan Romero. Bass has a 1.41 ERA with 10 walks and 45 strikeouts in 44⅔ innings (45 games). He has 16 holds but is 0-for-3 in save chances. Pop is a Canadian, born in Brampton, Ontario, with a 3.60 ERA in 18 games, with two walks and 14 strikeouts in 20 innings. The Marlins, who dealt from a wealth of pitching, got Groshans, 22, the 12th overall pick in 2018 who was slashing .250/.348/.296 with one homer and 24 RBIs in 67 games at Triple-A.
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Phillies get: OF Brandon Marsh
Angels get: C Logan O’Hoppe (No. 3)
Why it happened: The Phillies need more defense and Marsh, likely to be a center fielder in Philadelphia, is perfectly suited for that role. He hasn’t committed an error in the 19 games he has played center and has only three miscues overall in 91 games. Marsh, a left-handed hitter, is slashing .226/.284/.353 with eight homers and 37 RBIs. O’Hoppe, 22, a 23rd-round pick in the 2018 draft, is slashing .275/.392/.496 with 15 homers and 45 RBIs at Double-A.
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Phillies get: RHP David Robertson
Cubs get: RHP Ben Brown (No. 26)
Why it happened: Robertson, the Cubs’ closer, immediately becomes the closer in Philly. He has a 2.23 ERA with 19 walks and 51 strikeouts in 40⅓ innings, converting 14 of 19 save opportunities. That makes the back end of the bullpen much stronger, with Seranthony Domínguez, Brad Hand, and Corey Knebel able to mix and match late-inning roles. Brown had a 3.08 ERA with 23 walks and 105 strikeouts in 73 innings covering 16 games (15 starts).
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Mets get: 1B-DH Darin Ruf
Giants get: 3B J.D. Davis, LHP Thomas Szapucki (NR), RHP Nick Zwack (NR), RHP Carson Seymour (NR)
Why it happened: Ruf is another piece along the margins for the Mets. Much like lefty-hitting Daniel Vogelbach against right-handers, righty-hitting Ruf crushes left-handed pitching and replaces Davis as a right-handed bat off the bench. Ruf has a .887 OPS against lefties this season. Davis could be an heir apparent to Evan Longoria at third. Davis slashed .238/.324/.359 with four homers and 21 RBIs with the Mets. Szapucki, who made his MLB debut in his only game in the majors this season, recently shifted to a bullpen role at Triple-A. He has a 3.38 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) with 29 walks and 87 strikeouts in 64 innings. He could be called up immediately by the Giants, who need lefty relief help. Zwack and Seymour are lottery tickets in Low-A.
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Cardinals get: LHP Jordan Montgomery
Yankees get: OF Harrison Bader, player to be named (or cash)
Why it happened: Bader, currently on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis, was a Gold Glove center fielder last season and greatly improves the Yankees’ defense there, allowing slugger Aaron Judge to move to a corner or DH. Bader is slashing .256/.303/.370 with five homers and 21 RBIs in 72 games. His offensive production should benefit by hitting in the same lineup as Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Montgomery provides a key left-handed presence in the Cardinals’ rotation. Montgomery has a 3.94 ERA with 23 walks and 97 strikeouts in 114⅔ innings (21 starts).
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Twins get: RHP Tyler Mahle
Reds get: 2B-3B INF Spencer Steer (No. 7), LHP Steve Hajjar (No. 18), 1B-3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand (No. 23)
Why it happened: Mahle blossomed into one of the quality starters on the market this season with the rebuilding Reds. After posting ERAs of 3.59 and 3.75 the last two seasons, Mahle was at 4.40 with 39 walks and 114 strikeouts in 104⅓ innings (19 starts), notably ramping up his strikeout rate and limiting walks. Mahle slots in behind Sonny Gray atop the Twins’ rotation as they look to protect a slim lead in the AL Central. In return, the Reds picked up three prospects, led by Steer, who slashed .269/.361/.528 with 20 homers and 62 RBIs between Double-A and Triple-A for the Twins.
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Padres get: 3B Brandon Drury
Reds get: SS Victor Acosta (No. 6)
Why it happened: Drury is in the midst of a career year at the plate, slashing .274/.335/.520 with 20 homers and 59 RBIs in 92 games. How he fits into the Padres’ infield mix is unknown as Manny Machado is at third base, Jake Cronenworth at second, and newly acquired Josh Bell at first. It is possible Drury or Bell slots in at DH with the other at first, or perhaps Drury platoons in the outfield. Acosta moved up a few notches in the MLB Pipeline rankings following the Juan Soto trade.
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Brewers get: RHP Trevor Rosenthal
Giants get: OF Tristan Peters (No. 19)
Why it happened: A variety of injuries (groin strain, thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, hamstring strain) have kept Rosenthal on the shelf since the 2020 season. Once one of the premier closers in MLB — he had 45 and 48 saves in 2015-16 with the Cardinals — Rosenthal had recently signed with the Giants but had yet to appear in the majors due to the hamstring injury. He is basically a wild card for the Crew. A seventh-round draft choice last season, Peters was slashing .306/.386/.485 with seven homers and 51 RBIs at High-A.
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Twins get: RHP Michael Fulmer
Tigers get: RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (NR)
Why it happened: Fulmer is the second late-inning addition for the Twins after Jorge López. The right-hander has a 3.20 ERA with 20 walks and 39 strikeouts in 39⅓ innings (41 games), allowing opponents to hit just .203. His walk and strikeout rates are down from last season, but the Twins are banking on him to improve in their chase for a pennant. The return for the Tigers was a wild card in Gipson-Long as Fulmer is a free agent after this season.
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Phillies get: RHP Noah Syndergaard
Angels get: OF Mickey Moniak, OF Jadiel Sanchez (NR)
Why it happened: While the Phillies can mash, they needed to add pitching, and the return of Thor to the NL East should inject some energy. In his first season with the Angels, Syndergaard has a 3.83 ERA with 22 walks and 64 strikeouts over 80 innings (15 starts). While not the strikeout maestro of his first few seasons with the Mets, he has improved his art of pitching. The Angels, sellers again despite having Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout on their roster, pick up Moniak, the top overall pick in the 2016 draft from just down the road in Carlsbad, Calif., who made his MLB debut in 2020 and appeared in 18 MLB games this season but yet to get going offensively (.130 batting average).
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Blue Jays get: 2B Whit Merrifield
Royals get: 2B-OF Samad Taylor (No. 16), RHP Max Castillo (NR)
Why it happened: Merrifield did not travel to Toronto with the Royals two weeks ago because had not gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, but he said he was open to getting the shots if traded. Well, that decision is more urgent now. Merrifield, a second baseman with the Royals, can play multiple positions. The 33-year-old has struggled a bit at the plate, slashing .240/.290/.352 with six homers and 42 RBIs in 95 games. For his career, Merrifield is slashing .286/.332/.425. For the Royals, Taylor is also versatile and brings a little speed. While his numbers are down this season (.258/.337/.426), he has 23 steals.
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Braves get: RHP Raisel Iglesias
Angels get: RHP Jesse Chavez, LHP Tucker Davidson (No. 5)
Why it happened: As much as this move makes the Braves’ bullpen more lockdown at the end of games, it also sets them up for the future. Iglesias had been the Angels’ closer but will move to a setup role with the Braves, occasionally closing instead of Kenley Jansen, who is a free agent after the season. Iglesias is under contract at $16 million per season for the next three years. After having a 2.57 ERA last season with the Angels, Iglesias is at 4.04 this year with nine walks and 48 strikeouts in 35⅔ innings (39 games). He has converted 16 of 19 save opportunities. Chavez is on the move again after being acquired from the Cubs in April. It is the ninth time Chavez has been traded since being taken in the 42nd round of the 2002 draft by the Texas Rangers. Davidson has made four appearances for the Braves this season, including three starts, and fits the mold of the player the Angels need in any rebuild.
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Mets get: RHP Mychal Givens
Cubs get: RHP Saul Gonzalez (NR)
Why it happened: Givens has been one of the more underrated relievers in MLB, but that is because of who he has pitched for rather than performance. After spending his first five-plus seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Givens has bounced between the Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago Cubs, not exactly a list of contenders. But in exactly 400 MLB games, Givens has a career ERA of 3.40 with 179 walks and 519 strikeouts in 437 innings. Those numbers have been even better this year with the Cubs, posting a 2.66 ERA with 19 walks and 51 strikeouts in 40⅔ innings. Gonzalez is a 22-year-old reliever drafted in the 23rd round in 2018 who is still in Low-A but has only pitched in 29 games over his four pro seasons (there were no minors in 2020).
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Blue Jays get: RHP Mitch White, SS Alex De Jesus (No. 19)
Dodgers get: LHP Moises Brito (NR), RHP Nick Frasso (NR)
Why it happened: With the Dodgers needing 40-man roster spots, White was deemed expendable and should fill a swing role for the Jays. In 15 appearances (10 starts) in the majors, White had a 3.70 ERA with 19 walks and 47 strikeouts in 56 innings. De Jesus, 20, brings a little offense to the shortstop position, slashing .272/.386/.447 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs in 87 games between the two Class A levels. Brito and Frasso are a couple of lottery tickets for the Dodgers, with Frasso impressing this season.
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Twins get: C Sandy León
Guardians get: RHP Ian Hamilton
Why it happened: In a rare deal between the top two teams in the same division, León provides catching insurance for the Twins behind Gary Sánchez. León is a career backup who has been at Triple-A for much of the season, which is where the Twins sent him after the deal. Hamilton has a 1.88 ERA with eight walks and 36 strikeouts in 28⅔ innings (23 games) at Triple-A.
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Mariners get: C Curt Casali, LHP Matthew Boyd
Giants get: RHP Michael Stryffeler (NR), C Andy Thomas (NR)
Why it happened: Casali provides a veteran presence in the Mariners’ catching core. Cal Raleigh is in just his second season in the majors, while Luis Torrens hasn’t been able to grab the starting job. Both are scuffling at the plate, hitting near .200. Casali, meanwhile, has mentored Joey Bart with the Giants and is slashing .231/.325/.370 with four homers and 14 RBIs. Casali is currently on the 10-day IL with an oblique strain. Boyd has yet to pitch this season due to surgery almost a year ago to repair a torn flexor tendon. He recently threw a bullpen, so he could be activated before the end of the month. Stryffeler and Thomas are low-end compensation.
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Royals get: OF Brent Rooker (NR)
Padres get: C Cam Gallagher (NR)
Why it happened: Rooker is another player on the move for the second time this season, having come to the Padres from the Twins in the Taylor Rogers–Chris Paddack deal. He has yet to stick in the majors despite playing in 67 games (.205/.290/.400) while posting solid minor-league numbers (.265/.363/.530). Gallagher, a second-round pick in 2011, had been Salvador Perez’s caddie until the emergence this season of M.J. Melendez.
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Pirates get: RHP Jeremy Beasley
Blue Jays get: Cash
Why it happened: Beasley, a reliever, was the odd man out with the Jays’ other acquisitions, so the Pirates picked up a wild-card arm that has MLB experience with Toronto and Arizona.
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Reds get: C Austin Romine
Cardinals get: Cash, C Austin Allen
A’s get: RHP Austin Guarate
Why it happened: Romine had been DFA’d by the Cardinals, who were his second team of the season after he was released by the Angels in June before signing a minor-league deal with St. Louis following Yadier Molina’s injury. The Reds are in need of catching depth with two rookies, Michael Papierski and Mark Kolozsvary, manning the position. In a separate deal, the Cards added Allen while shipping Guarate to Oakland.
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Mariners get: 3B Jake Lamb
Dodgers get: Player to be named or cash
Why it happened: Lamb was bumped out of the Dodgers’ picture following the Joey Gallo deal.
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Orioles get: OF Brett Phillips
Rays get: Cash
Why it happened: Phillips had been DFA’d by the Rays on Monday after a three-team trade and the Orioles get a defensive-minded center fielder with a terrific laugh.
MONDAY – 8/1
Padres get: LHP Josh Hader
Brewers get: LHP Taylor Rogers, RHP Dinelson Lamet, LHP Robert Gasser (No. 7), OF Esteury Ruiz (No. 28)
Why it happened: Hader, the premier closer in MLB, had a bumpy July and is projected to make $15 million in his final year of arbitration in 2023 before becoming a free agent. Still, the Brewers led the NL Central by three games over the Cardinals at the time of the deal. RHP Devin Williams can slide into the closer’s role as he’s had 30 consecutive scoreless outings. The question is: Did the Crew get enough in return? Rogers, acquired by the Padres from the Minnesota Twins on Opening Day, had recently lost his job as closer despite ranking second in saves with 28 (Hader has 29). Rogers is also a free agent after this season. Lamet has struggled to find a role and has a long injury history. Gasser, 23, was a second-round competitive balance pick a year ago and has been starting at High-A. Ruiz, 23, made his MLB debut on July 12 and had 13 homers and 60 steals in 77 games between Double-A and Triple-A this season, and he can possibly become a utility outfielder for the Crew.
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Yankees get: RHP Frankie Montas, RHP Lou Trivino
A’s get: LHP Ken Waldichuk (No. 5), RHP Luis Medina (No. 10), LHP J.P. Sears (No. 20), 2B Cooper Bowman (No. 21)
Why it happened: The Yankees fortified their rotation and bullpen with Montas and Trivino, respectively. Montas still has one more year of arbitration, while Trivino has two years left before free agency. Montas is consistently very good, posting an ERA of 3.88 or lower in four of the last five seasons (5.60 in the pandemic-shortened 2020). In 19 starts this year, the 29-year-old has a 3.18 ERA with 28 walks and 109 strikeouts in 104⅔ innings. Trivino has struggled this year with a 6.47 ERA in 39 appearances, walking 14 and striking out 45 over 32 innings. He has converted 10 of 12 save opportunities. The club control of Montas and Trivino cost the Yankees four more top-30 prospects, led by Waldichuk, a 24-year-old who was a fifth-round pick in 2019. He has a 2.71 ERA across 17 starts with 33 walks and 116 strikeouts in 76⅓ innings at Double-A and Triple-A this year. Medina, 23, has a 3.38 ERA in 17 starts at Double-A, walking 40 and striking out 81 in 72 innings while holding opponents to a .179 batting average.
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Astros get: 1B Trey Mancini (Orioles), RHP Jayden Murray (NR, Rays)
Orioles get: RHP Seth Johnson (No. 6, Rays), Chayce McDermott (No. 12, Astros)
Rays get: OF Jose Siri (Astros)
Why it happened: Despite being in contention for a playoff spot for the first in what seems like forever, the Orioles decided to trade Mancini and continue building for the future in the first three-team trade of the season. Mancini, a cancer survivor who had become the face of the franchise, might have hit free agency this offseason as he has a mutual option (most often declined by players) for 2023. The 30-year-old, who can also play the outfield, slashed .268/.347/.404 with 10 homers and 41 RBIs for the Orioles. Johnson, 23, is scheduled to have Tommy John surgery soon, so likely won’t be back until 2024. Siri provides an upgrade in the Rays’ outfield over Brett Phillips, who was designated for assignment.
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Cardinals get: LHP José Quintana, RHP Chris Stratton
Pirates get: RHP Johan Oviedo, 3B Malcolm Nunez (No. 10)
Why it happened: Quintana adds a quality arm to a Cardinals rotation that really needed one for the stretch drive. It also doesn’t hurt that he does very well against the Brewers, whom the Cards are chasing in the NL Central and face seven more times. The 33-year-old has a 3.50 ERA in 20 starts and 103 innings, walking 31 and striking out 89. The inclusion of Stratton is a bit puzzling (but maybe a precursor to another deal) as he has struggled with a 5.09 ERA with 13 walks and 37 strikeouts in 40⅔ innings. Meanwhile, the Bucs add two Cubans, one who can help immediately. Oviedo, 24, has a 3.20 ERA in 14 appearances covering 25⅓ innings, walking seven and striking out 26. He started 13 games in 2021 for the Cardinals, posting a 4.91 ERA. Nunez, 21, has found his power stroke this season with 17 homers at Double-A.
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Braves get: RHP Jake Odorizzi
Astros get: LHP Will Smith
Why it happened: In a rare deal between contenders at the deadline, the Braves add a pretty good arm to the rotation while offloading Smith, who has struggled this year. Odorizzi and Smith are both free agents after the season. Odorizzi, who spent time on the injured list this season, has a 3.75 ERA in 12 starts, walking 17 and striking out 46 in 60 innings. Smith posted a 4.38 ERA in 37 innings (41 games), walking 21 and striking out 41.
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Braves get: IF Ehire Adrianza
Nationals get: OF Trey Harris (No. 29)
Why it happened: To strengthen their bench, the defending World Series champs brought back Adrianza, who was a role player for the Braves last season before signing with Washington. The Braves were hoping to catch a little Robinson Canó magic, but Canó has struggled at the plate and in the field. He was designated for assignment to make room for Adrianza, who can play virtually anywhere on the diamond, whereas Canó was only a second baseman. Harris, 26, has been hitting .236 at Double-A and is a corner outfielder.
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Astros get: C Christian Vázquez
Red Sox get: IF-OF Enmanuel Valdez (No. 28), OF Wilyer Abreu (No. 29)
Why it happened: The Astros were desperate to upgrade the offensive contributions from the catcher position. Vázquez was slashing .282/.327/.432 with eight homers and 42 RBIs in 84 games with Boston, while top Astros catcher Martín Maldonado — unquestioned defensively — was at .173/.239/.342 with 10 homers and 30 RBIs in 77 games when the trade was made. Valdez has been tearing up Double-A and Triple-A this year, slashing .327/.410/.606 with 21 homers and 77 RBIs, while Abreu has shown good speed and pop at Double-A.
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Red Sox get: OF Tommy Pham
Reds get: Player to be named or cash
Why it happened: A simple salary dump by the Reds, who signed Pham to a one-year, $7.5 million contract with a $1.5 million mutual option for 2023 ($9 million guaranteed total). Pham slashed .238/.320/.374 with 11 homers and 39 RBIs with the Reds. From the Boston perspective, Pham could fill a spot if J.D. Martinez is moved.
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Yankees get: RHP Scott Effross
Cubs get: RHP Hayden Wesneski (No. 7)
Why it happened: Effross, under club control through 2027, has a 2.66 ERA with 11 walks and 50 strikeouts in 44 innings in just his second MLB season. He uses a good sinker-slider combo to induce soft contact and groundballs and get strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .220 off Effross, who is another quality arm for the Yanks’ bullpen. Wesneski, a sixth-round pick in 2019, is a starter who has a 3.51 ERA with 28 walks and 83 strikeouts in 89⅔ innings at Triple-A this season.
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White Sox get: LHP Jake Diekman
Red Sox get: C Reese McGuire, player to be named (or cash)
Why it happened: The 35-year-old Diekman hasn’t been as effective as he had in recent years, with a 4.23 ERA and just one walk and 51 strikeouts in 38⅓ innings over 44 games. His ERA+ of 102 shows that might be from a little bad luck as he has an opponent batting average of .203. McGuire basically takes Christian Vázquez’s spot following his trade to the Astros.
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Brewers get: RHP Matt Bush
Rangers get: IF Mark Mathias, LHP Antoine Kelly (No. 16)
Why it happened: Looking to make a good bullpen formidable following the Josh Hader trade, Bush was having a stellar season with the Rangers. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft, who famously went through personal and legal problems that saw him spend 39 months in a Florida prison for a DUI, had a 2.95 ERA with 10 walks and 45 strikeouts in 36⅔ innings, including a .199 opponent batting average. Despite being 36, Bush is under club control for two more years due to missing all that time. Mathias is a backup infielder with 22 games of MLB experience. Kelly is a lottery ticket. A second-round pick in 2019, he has not advanced past High-A, where he is this season. Kelly has a 3.86 ERA with 52 walks and 119 strikeouts in 91 innings covering 19 starts this season.
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Braves get: OF Robbie Grossman
Tigers get: LHP Kris Anglin (NR)
Why it happened: Strictly a matchup acquisition, Grossman rakes against lefties but hasn’t fared well overall this season. The switch-hitter is slashing a mere .205/.313/.282, but those marks improve when facing left-handers to .364/.479/.519 with one homer and 10 RBIs in 77 at-bats. Anglin, 20, is in his second year of pro ball and has a 5.93 ERA in Low-A.
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Rays get: LHP Garrett Cleavinger
Dodgers get: OF German Tapia (NR)
Why it happened: The Rays are always looking for another bullpen arm and took Cleavinger off the hands of the Dodgers, who could be clearing 40-man roster spots for other acquisitions. In Triple-A this season, Cleavinger posted a 2.79 ERA with 17 walks and 47 strikeouts in 29 innings. He appeared in four MLB games this year, walking three and striking out seven in 4⅓ innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
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Diamondbacks get: 3B Emmanuel Rivera
Royals get: RHP Luke Weaver
Why it happened: Weaver, 28, a key piece acquired from the Cardinals in the Paul Goldschmidt deal, has been relegated to a bullpen role as all but one of his 12 appearances have been in relief. Before this year, 72 of his 80 appearances were starts. But Weaver has a 7.71 ERA in 16⅓ innings, so a change of scenery might be just what he needs. Rivera, 26, in his second year in the majors, slashed .237/.294/.378 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 63 games for the Royals and is yet another young bat the D’backs now have.
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Giants get: C-IF Ford Proctor (No. 19)
Rays get: RHP Jeremy Walker
Why it happened: The Giants were in need of infield depth with injuries at the MLB and Triple-A levels, and the lefty-hitting Proctor not only fills that cup, but he is also a catcher after asking the Rays to try the position out in 2020. His versatility is his calling card as his career slash numbers are .256/.364/.374 with 25 homers and 152 RBIs over four seasons. Walker pitched six games in MLB with the Braves in 2019 but has been struggling this season (6.99 ERA in 29 Triple-A appearances).
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Royals get: LHP Anthony Misiewicz
Mariners get: Cash
Why it happened: Misiewicz, 27, had been designated for assignment Sunday by the Mariners. He had a 4.61 ERA in 17 games, walking six and striking out eight in 13⅔ innings.
SUNDAY – 7/31
Giants get: SS Dixon Machado
Cubs get: RHP Reynal Espinal (NR)
Why it happened: This was an injury-related move. With Brandon Crawford still on the injured list and Thairo Estrada taking a pitch off the helmet Saturday and going on the concussion IL, the Giants needed to make a deal and did so just hours before the first pitch. Top minor-league options were also injured. Machado, who played 172 MLB games with the Detroit Tigers from 2015-18, simply plugs a hole for a few days.
SATURDAY – 7/30
Dodgers get: RHP Chris Martin
Cubs get: IF Zach McKinstry
Why it happened: A piece of the Atlanta Braves‘ World Series-winning bullpen last season, Martin posted a 4.31 ERA with just four walks against 40 strikeouts in 31⅓ innings with the Cubs. Martin’s last walk came May 26 to Cincinnati’s Joey Votto. That command is what attracted the Dodgers, who needed to fortify their bullpen due to injuries. McKinstry, 27, saw action in 10 games with the Dodgers, slashing .091/.286/364. His only hit in 11 at-bats was a two-run homer.
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Phillies get: SS Edmundo Sosa
Cardinals get: LHP JoJo Romero
Why it happened: With shortstop Paul DeJong ready to return from his exile to the minors to get his bat going, the Cardinals dealt his replacement in order to add a lefty reliever in Romero. Sosa will bring much-needed defense and versatility to a Phillies team that treats the ball like a hand grenade, giving up 19 outs above average (per Baseball Savant) at the time of the deal, 27th in MLB. Romero has just returned to the majors following Tommy John surgery, pitching in two games and giving up three runs over two innings.
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Rays get: OF David Peralta
Diamondbacks get: C Christian Cerda (NR)
Why it happened: Peralta brings a little offense and a lot of defense to the Rays. The left-handed hitter slashed .248/.316/.460 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs. He especially does damage against right-handed pitching, with 11 of his 12 homers coming vs. righties. Peralta, a left fielder, won a Gold Glove in 2019. Cerda, signed by the Rays as an international free agent in 2019, is a bit of a lottery ticket. The 19-year-old has been in the Florida Complex League this season, where he was slashing .315/.464/.519 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 20 games.
FRIDAY – 7/29
Mariners get: RHP Luis Castillo
Reds get: SS Noelvi Marte (No. 1), SS Edwin Arroyo (No. 3), RHP Levi Stoudt (No. 5) and RHP Andrew Moore (NR)
Why it happened: The Mariners are in the thick of the AL wild-card chase and adding Castillo, the biggest name available among pitchers, gives Seattle a fighting chance to maintain that spot and be reckoned with in the postseason. While the Mariners gave up three of their top five prospects, Marte and Arroyo are still in A-ball. Stoudt, a starter, is at Double-A.
THURSDAY – 7/28
Mets get: OF Tyler Naquin, LHP Phillip Diehl
Reds get: RHP Jose Acuna (NR), 2B Hector Rodriguez (NR)
Why it happened: Naquin is a left-handed platoon bat who will allow Jeff McNeil to focus on playing second base instead of moving to left field in certain situations. Naquin, a free agent after this season, has hit well against right-handers, including .264/.333/.472 with five of his seven homers and 28 of his 33 RBIs this season at the time of the deal.
WEDNESDAY – 7/27
Yankees get: OF Andrew Benintendi
Royals get: LHP T.J. Sikkema (No. 13), RHP Beck Way (No. 21), RHP Chandler Champlain (NR)
Why it happened: Looking to squeeze a little more offense out on a consistent basis, Benintendi provides an upgrade over all-or-nothing Joey Gallo, who was slashing .161/.285/.343 with 12 homers and 24 RBIs before the deal. Benintendi, meanwhile, was slashing .320/.387/.398 with three homers and 39 RBIs with the Royals and is more of a table-setter.
JULY 22
Mets get: 1B Daniel Vogelbach
Pirates get: RHP Colin Holderman
Why it happened: Vogelbach shores up the Mets’ need to hit right-handed pitching better and gets on base. While slashing a mere .228/.338/.430 with the Pirates, Vogelbach walked at a 14.4% rate. Holderman is a rookie who posted a 2.04 ERA in 17⅔ innings with the Mets.
Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack on Twitter) / Photography by Mark Goldman & Carlos Herrera / Icon Sportswire