The 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline is over. As expected, we saw a frenzy of activity with plenty of notable names heading from sellers to buyers. So which teams properly handled their business leading up to Thursday, whether it was bringing in win-now pieces for the stretch drive or landing prospects that improve the long-term outlook? All of that will be determined in time, but we’re here to pass out some first-impression grades on how each team fared during the run-up to the deadline. Let’s do that now.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks: B
The D-backs in the wake of what’s been a highly disappointing 2025 season thus far were looking to deal their walk-year contributors. For the most part they did that. Most notably, they fetched a solid if unspectacular return for slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez in a trade with the Mariners, and they also sent starting pitcher Merrill Kelly to Texas. They were, however, unable to find a taker for Zac Gallen.
Atlanta Braves: D
Erick Fedde after he was DFA’d by the Cardinals? Thirty-four-year-old Tyler Kinley to serve in a setup role? Those aren’t exactly inspiring additions. As well, the non-contending Braves were unable to trade away any of their pending free agents like Marcell Ozuna (who had no-trade protections through his 10-and-5 rights) and Raisel Iglesias.
Chicago Cubs: C
The Cubs, locked in a heated struggle with the Brewers for first place in the NL Central and perhaps a first-round bye in the playoffs, were expected to swing big at the deadline. That, however, didn’t happen. Their moves improve them at the margins — utility man Willi Castro upgrades the bench and Michael Soroka gives them needed rotation depth — but it’s all a little lacking given what was anticipated. In particular, the Cubs could’ve used a front-of-the-rotation type to replace Justin Steele.
Cincinnati Reds: C+
Ke’Bryan Hayes is a slick fielder at third base, and Zack Littell aids what was already an impressive rotation. However, the Reds really needed to upgrade the offensive attack, and Hayes doesn’t really do that.
Colorado Rockies: B-
The Rockies shipped off Ryan McMahon and a pair of relievers for reasonable returns. It’s nothing that drastically improves the core of young talent in place, but, well, teams on pace to lose 120 games tend not to have alluring deadline pieces on the roster.
Los Angeles Dodgers: B+
It certainly wasn’t a headline-grabbing deadline for the reigning champs, but given their roster depth it didn’t really have to be. Alex Call is a strong targeted strike for their troubled outfield, and they got an excellent return from the Dustin May swap with Boston.
Miami Marlins: C+
On the one hand, the Marlins as expected undertook some “seller’s churn,” with the most notable departure probably being outfielder Jesús Sánchez. However, ace and 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara remains in the fold despite heavy rumors leading up to the deadline. He could still be shopped this offseason, and waiting will look smart if Alcantara thrives down the stretch. However, there’s risk in that approach.
Milwaukee Brewers: B-
The Padres tapped into their rotation depth to send Nestor Cortes to the Padres for a quad-A outfield type. They then fortified the bullpen with Shelby Miller, and before all that happened they improved catcher depth by acquiring Danny Jansen from the Rays. It’s solid, if not exactly needle-moving work.
New York Mets: A-
Maybe the Mets missed an opportunity to address the rotation, but they otherwise checked the necessary boxes. In particular, the bullpen has been drastically upgraded with the additions of Ryan Helsley, Gregory Soto, and Tyler Rogers. As well, the addition of Cedric Mullins improves the center field situation in Queens.
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R.J. Anderson
Philadelphia Phillies: B+
The NL East should be good fun down the stretch, no? The Phillies did their part to keep the race against the Mets in the headlines. The big move was the addition of lockdown closer Jhoan Duran from the torn-down Twins. As well, the Phillies addressed their own center field issues by adding Harrison Bader in a deal with those very same Twins.
Pittsburgh Pirates: D
The Pirates did some things but not enough. Closer David Bednar and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes are noteworthy departures, but consider what GM Ben Cherington didn’t do. He didn’t sell high on starting pitcher Mitch Keller. He also failed to move three veterans who are pending free agents (Tommy Pham, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Andrew Heaney). This remains a rudderless organization, which is mostly the fault of pointless owner Bob Nutting.
San Diego Padres: A+
No operator was as bold as AJ Preller during this deadline season. As the Padres attempt to hang on to wild card position in the NL and perhaps even chase down the Dodgers in the NL West, they have plenty of new reinforcements to help the cause. Flame-throwing closer Mason Miller is on board, as is All-Star first baseman/DH Ryan O’Hearn, outfielder Ramón Laureano, and catcher Freddy Fermin. And not only did they not trade Dylan Cease despite heavy rumoring to the contrary, the Pads also added to the rotation by getting Nestor Cortes from Milwaukee. A+ indeed.
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R.J. Anderson
San Francisco Giants: B
The Giants have struggled since trading for Rafael Devers in June, and that put them in “soft sell” mode. They got a respectable return from the Mets for Tyler Rogers, and they sent closer Camilo Doval to the Yankees for four prospects. Then in a bit of a surprise they flipped outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to the Royals.
St. Louis Cardinals: B
The Cardinals came in aiming to move their three-walk year relievers, and that’s exactly what they did. Ryan Helsey was shipped off to the Mets for a solid return, Steven Matz fetched an interesting hitting prospect from Boston, and Phil Maton returned a pair of minor-league arms in a deal with Texas. They still have a lineup logjam in place, and that probably should’ve been addressed. The winter, though, may bring clarity on that front after Chaim Bloom takes over as lead decision-maker.
Washington Nationals: C
The Nats wisely resisted the urge to trade MacKenzie Gore, which was the most important thing they did this deadline. Otherwise, they dealt away Kyle Finnegan, Michael Soroka, and Alex Call in exchange for organizational depth.
American League
Athletics: B+
We can’t give them an A yet, because we can’t be 100% sure what Leo De Vries is going to turn into, but dealing a stud reliever and marginal starter during a rebuild for a potential superstar shortstop could well end up being a master stroke from the A’s front office. The potential is an A+ here.
Baltimore Orioles: F
This isn’t a grade in the here and now but rather one earned over the long haul. The Orioles put their fans through a radical rebuild from 2018-21 and were sellers in 2022. They went to the playoffs two years and won zero playoff games and now they are sellers again. That just can’t happen.
Boston Red Sox: C-
Dustin May is a below-average starting pitcher (84 ERA+ and -0.4 WAR in 104 innings this season) and Steven Matz is a long reliever. That was it. No frontline starter, no big bat, no needle-mover in the late innings. It sounds like they were trying to make a bigger splash, but they didn’t.
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R.J. Anderson
Chicago White Sox: C
I don’t know, man. Dealing Austin Slater and Adrian Houser for quality returns were perfectly fine maneuvers, but the White Sox are in the midst of what should be a major rebuild and can’t turn a player as talented as Luis Robert Jr. with just two club options left on his contract into anything?
Cleveland Guardians: F
The Guardians traded two players who are currently injured and otherwise didn’t do anything. They are only 2 ½ games out of a playoff spot, so why were they trading Shane Bieber when they have a lackluster back-end of the rotation? Ah, to save money. That’s right. Again: 2 ½ games out. Pathetic.
Detroit Tigers: B
It was all depth additions — starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Chris Paddack along with relievers Kyle Finnegan and Rafael Montero — and maybe that’s all they’ll need. It just felt a little bit light given their circumstances.
Houston Astros: A-
The trade deadline was another reminder that just being in the playoff race is no longer good enough in Houston, as the Astros got back Carlos Correa in a blockbuster move in addition to grabbing infielder Ramón Urías and outfielder Jesús Sánchez. They didn’t get a starting pitcher, but they have four coming back from injury in August.
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R.J. Anderson
Kansas City Royals: C+
They are only three games out of a playoff spot, so kudos to the Royals for trying to win instead of giving up and trying to sell like so many out there wanted them to. They added needed outfield and pitching depth in the process. The moves were unfortunately just of the hole-filling variety.
Los Angeles Angels: C
In a vacuum, we have to give them credit for trying instead of bailing when within striking range of a playoff spot. And, yes, only being four games out of a playoff spot is absolutely alive and a team should be giving its fan base — and players! — hope in a situation like this. If you’re gonna buy, though, maybe do better than relievers Luis García and Andrew Chafin along with infielder Oswaldo Peraza?
Minnesota Twins: D
At 5 ½ game out of a playoff berth, the Twins decided to rip off the Band-Aid, except they left a little bit of adhesive hanging onto their skin by keeping arguably the biggest trade chip they have in Joe Ryan. If you’re going to gut the team, why keep Ryan around? So many teams wanted starting pitching and left empty-handed.
New York Yankees: B+
They made a lot of solid moves, getting position players Austin Slater, Amed Rosario, Jose Caballero and Ryan McMahon in addition to relievers David Bednar, Jake Bird and Camilo Doval. The bullpen moves were outstanding and good depth was added to the position-player core while getting a starter at third base. They needed starting pitching, though.
Seattle Mariners: A
The Mariners added two big offensive weapons in Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor. This is the kind of urgency needed from a team squarely in contention that has never been to the World Series. You’d maybe like to see a little more bullpen depth outside of adding Caleb Ferguson, but they added two middle-of-the-order All-Stars.
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R.J. Anderson
Tampa Bay Rays: A-
Look, they didn’t go all out or anything, but the Rays at four games out of the playoffs usually means they are ready to bail on the season and that’s why there were rumors about them trading several big-league players. Instead, they added Adrian Houser to the rotation — and his stuff looks great this year — along with potential bullpen ace Griffin Jax. Sneaky late deadline winner here.
Texas Rangers: B
Adding Merrill Kelly to the rotation to sit behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi was a great move and the bullpen depth added with Phil Maton and Danny Coulombe was also great. They really needed to shore up their DH spot, though.
Toronto Blue Jays: B+
There’s a potential home run here in ace starter Shane Bieber, though there is certainly risk with him working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Otherwise it was a bunch of depth moves, but it was all stuff that could work out really well and I love the upside gamble with Bieber.
