My Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals of 2025

 It's odd talking about this specific trade deadline, because it doesn't SEEM like a lot of huge pieces came off the board, but they really did. This was a year without many BIG stars changing hands, maybe one or two [in deals that, to be frank, did not make my list], but a lot of the big deals concerned relief pitchers and utility guys. This was a year where Jose Caballero and Willi Castro getting dealt were both big deals, and it was warranted rather than 'this is all we have to talk about'. It honestly speaks to the quality of the relief pitching in this deadline, as it wasn't like 'who's gonna get this 29 year old having a fluke year?' or anything, like there were a lot of big relievers and closers getting dealt, and it all pretty much made sense.

And yes, we got through the deadline without Luis Robert, Joe Ryan, Sandy Alcantara, Jacob deGrom, Dylan Cease or even Paul Skenes getting traded. Yet it all seemed satisfying and not anticlimactic. I guess I'd call it a win, and not because of how both my teams did.

So, as is custom, I'm gonna rank my top 10 trade deadlines of this year. There'll be another post for the honorable mentions I still wanted to talk about, and another still about the ones where the GM's actions frankly puzzled me.

But let's get into it with a deal that honestly, by the end of the year, might be too lowly-ranked.

#10: Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Reds, Taylor Rogers to the Pirates [and eventually the Cubs], fellow CIN prospect to the Pirates.

The Reds filled a lot of smaller holes this deadline, but their biggest hole was at third base. They have tried Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario, Santiago Espinal and Garrett Hampson at third this season. None of them worked. So why not bring in a guy who can definitely play third base. Sneakily, Ke'Bryan Hayes has been having a nice year at the corner, and he continues to be one of the best defensive third basemen in the game. Now, granted, he's not *hitting*, but you never know when he'll go on a tear. I just think that Hayes was the corner stability the Reds needed, and even if he doesn't hit, he'll be a pretty nice piece of this Reds team as they head towards a potential playoff run. 

#9: Merrill Kelly to the Rangers, 3 prospects to the Diamondbacks

I've ranked this one so lowly because I honestly don't think the Rangers needed rotation help, especially considering that before they went on the streak they were gonna deal deGrom anyway. But...this still gives one of the best starters in the league to a rotation that already has deGrom, Eovaldi and Jack Leiter in it. That's honestly pretty scary to me. This will depend on whether or not the Rangers are as good as their July has been. Because they have the pieces in place, and only now are they starting to act like they're supposed to. I think there's a chance they keep rolling, but I also know how inconsistent the Rangers have been this year. Either way Kelly will help, and it's kind of wild to see the Rangers bring on a guy who squared off against them in the 2023 World Series.

#8: Ryan McMahon to the Yankees, 2 prospects to the Rockies

As far as a Cashman pull goes, it may not seem like much. Because of the Yankees' reluctance to trade some of its most prized prospects [Spencer Jones, George Lombard, Jasson Dominguez honestly], a lot of the bigger deadline weapons we were after didn't end up happening. Initially when the McMahon deal happened it felt like a poor consolation for Eugenio Suarez. But honestly, just from what I've seen from McMahon so far, I think we made the right decision. We needed a sure thing at third base, and McMahon is not only that everyday corner guy, but his contact hitting has revitalized the team. Already he's hitting .350 as a Yankee with 8 hits and 4 RBIs. He doesn't need to be the star, but he's steady, consistent and really impressive. Like Chisholm last year, McMahon just seems like just the kind of guy we need right now.

#7: Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano to the Padres, 5 prospects to the Orioles

Very smart move by A.J. Preller. There's another move I'll talk about tomorrow that was even sneakier in filling a need, but the Padres needed an outfield upgrade and one more thumper for the lineup, and they got two perfect pieces. Ryan O'Hearn in a lineup that already has Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, Gavin Sheets and Jackson Merrill is dangerous. He will fit right in there. And Laureano going to this outfield is a blessing because he doesn't have to start every day. His defense makes him an upgrade over a lot of their other OF options, and he's a good bench bat when needed. I think Gavin Sheets should be getting more starts out there, but Laureano gives them flexibility. The trouble I had with him in Baltimore is that he was playing a starring role when he really should have been a backup, but that's more the fault of the team this year. 

Speaking of Orioles outfielders..

#6: Cedric Mullins to the Mets, 3 prospects to the Orioles

Going into this season, even before we knew the O's would have a drop-off, it was clear that Cedric Mullins was likely on the way out. He'd been there for eight seasons, came into his own right when the team needed him and was a marquee star as they built their youth movement. He'd done enough. The Mets now have an outfield of Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo and Cedric Mullins. That's pretty excellent in my opinion. Mullins is still versatile, still quick, and still powerful. He now gets to help a team get to October. I see no real drawbacks here, though because Mullins is having a comparative down year I'm not sure if that'll carry over.

#5: Josh Naylor to the Mariners, 2 prospects to the D-Backs

The Mariners, even in the midst of a division battle that's getting much more competitive, made some really nice moves to boost the lethality of their lineup. Naylor at the corner in T-Mobile Park is definitely a step up. Even in a year that's not quite to the quality of his Cleveland run, Naylor is still an excellent contact hitter, hitting .292 with 11 homers and 59 RBIs. In Seattle he vastly improves the 1st base situation and adds another surefire bat to a lineup that, even before this weekend, ranked as one of the most troublesome ones in the AL. If October is on the Mariners' mind this year, which it is, they've also procured an excellent postseason performer. 

#4: Jhoan Duran to the Phillies, Mick Abel and another prospect to the Twins

Finally, the Phillies get a legit answer in the ninth after every other closing option fell apart. And yes, I am aware of how often we use the trade deadline to get a surefire closer that then struggles to save games once he gets here. It happened with Ian Kennedy, it happened with David Robertson, it happened with Carlos Estevez. However, Jhoan Duran is under 30. He's also still in his prime, in the midst of a great season, and is scarily dominant. He is the missing link for a bullpen that's honestly coming into its own. Though, to be fair, if our bullpen IS, in fact, cursed, then you'll file this away with the others. I just have hope that he'll be the one, though. 

#3: David Bednar to the Yankees, 3 prospects to the Pirates

Like the Phillies, the Yankees also went through some aggravation to find a ninth inning man this year. Both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have been spottier in save situations this year, and it's clear that both should be in setup roles. All that remained was a better, more reliable closer. And since June I'd say, David Bednar has been one of the most reliable closers in baseball. I only attribute his struggles to moments leading up to and following an injury- everything else has been fantastic. Pittsburgh fans loved him, and hopefully he'll appeal to Yankee fans as well. I just think he's a pretty reliable bet in the ninth, though I do worry he'll go back to his April luck in a bigger stadium. 

#2: Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to the Padres, Leo de Vries and three other prospects to the Athletics

This one is so high because I did not think the A's were going to deal Mason Miller, as he's a young, controllable phenom that I thought they'd keep until Vegas. But evidently the GM got an offer from A.J. Preller that he couldn't refuse, and I think Leo de Vries was part of that, despite the fact that Jacob Wilson also exists. Mason Miller is a terrific closer and unbelievable hard-throwing pitcher, but putting him in a minor league stadium did not do him justice. He gives the Padres an even safer bet in the ninth than Robert Suarez, and he could be closing there for years. And in a deadline season where the Padres still dealt some excess arms [Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek got dealt, more on that tomorrow], J.P. Sears is a very smart late-rotation addition that not only adds yet another ex-Yankee to this rotation [alongside Vazquez and King], but puts a consistent, reliable starter alongside Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease. I'd put that against the Dodgers' circus of arm strains anyday.

But of course, as wild as it was to see a trade that actually got Mason Miller out of Sacramento, it could not take the top spot. The top spot had to go to a fit so perfect that I could have sworn I'd seen it before...

#1: Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners, Tyler Locklear and 2 prospects to the Diamondbacks

Look, some things are just clear. We know Geno in Seattle works, it worked a couple years ago. We know Geno's having an excellent season, and right at the trade he became the D-Backs' WAR leader this season. We know he can hit home runs and for contact. We know he's still in his prime. And we know he and Josh Naylor were on the same wavelength. Putting him back into this lineup makes it clear that the Mariners have the best lineup in the division now. They have more assets than Houston, more clear power hitters than Texas, and better pitching security than either. And yes, the Astros had a similar reunion today, and you're probably wondering why it's not at this spot. Without getting fully into a rant I'll have later on...Eugenio Suarez has a space meant for him. He doesn't have to squeeze into someone else's for a month or so. 

For now, the Mariners just bulked up their lineup with someone they know works in Seattle, and they just made a major stake towards the East title. It's gonna make the rest of the season very interesting, that's for sure.

Tomorrow I'll talk about some of the trades that didn't make this list, and why.

Understaffing Before Closure

So, here's a brief bit of topical depression from your local Jersey resident: I found out earlier today that one of our local diners just closed suddenly, out of the blue. This is the third or fourth diner in the last year or so to close down, one's been made into a dispensary. And this one was still standing but now it's suddenly gone. And there was no run-up to it, or signs that it might be on the way out. Nah, beginning of the week the doors were shut, the website was offline and the business was kaput. Thankfully there's a good diner still local, probably one or two others a bit further off, but this specific diner just skidding to a halt like this feels like the ultimate insult. 

It's not that the customers stopped showing up, it's that nobody really wanted to put in the work to keep it open.

Oh yeah and there's an Oakland A at the top of the post, I wonder how that anecdote is related...

Look, the A's were a decent enough team when there were healthy and viable starting options. That at least kept them in the race, and they actually had 5 guys starting all their games for a while. Then Paul Blackburn, Alex Wood, Ross Stripling and Joe Boyle all got hurt, and the replacements were people like Aaron Brooks, Luis Medina and Hogan Harris, who were left out of the picture for a reason. And then suddenly it makes sense that the A's aren't winning games. Nobody's really around to make the first 5 innings suspenseful in any way.

It's really just J.P. Sears right now, as he's the only one who's stayed healthy this time. And it's a good time for ex-Yankee pitching prospects in other markets. Michael King had an amazing day for the Padres [against uh...oh dear this is awkward], and just last night Drew Thorpe had a stunning debut for the White Sox. Sears has been relatively sharp since coming over in the Frankie Montas deal, he's just never particularly had the best teams to defend. This year does seem to be an improvement, as he's 4-5 with a 4.02 ERA in 13 games. Sears isn't an overpowering pitcher, but he's gained some control, and is the best asset the A's have right now. Having Joey Estes and Mitch Spence helps somewhat, but there's still a 'let's throw 'em out there' quality to most of the starters not named Sears, and it's at least nice that he can be reliable for them in a time when everything is failing them.

And now it's getting even more ridiculous than just simply 'no starters showing up'. One of the team's best relievers, Michael Kelly, is facing a long-term league ban due to sports-betting. The plan to get Brandon Bielak over and fix his issues didn't work because the A's aren't the Dodgers. There's three crucial hitters with sub-.200 averages, including one that has been linked to trade rumors due to his, uh, hitting. And two guys who looked like the future of the team last year, Ryan Noda and Lawrence Butler, are back in the minors. Even if people like Tyler Soderstrom, Kyle McCann and Max Schuemann are actually coming into their own, too many parts that were working have been knocked back off for there to be any progress. 

The hope at this point is that things don't get any worse. But seeing as the Twins and Royals are up next...I'm not all that sure...

Coming Tomorrow- A career power hitter having one of his best pure contact seasons yet.

Breaking Up in Vegas

 

A few years ago, the last MLB player to have suited up for the Montreal Expos retired. I know there was some other well-publicized Big 4 guy who was drafted by the Expos who retired earlier this year, I just meant the longest-lasting baseball player. Bartolo Colon. Tom Brady wishes he was Bartolo Colon. 16 years, that's as far back as you could reach to find someone from 2018 who remembered the fall of the Expos. 

I wonder who's gonna be the last A's player left standing who remembers playing in Oakland. Cause that's really how things are looking.

It's not gonna be as drastic of a rebrand, as I imagine the Vegas guys are gonna keep 'Athletics', not only to keep the legacy of the original ballclub [I chuckled a little, thinking that the owners of the A's give a damn about legacy], but because 'Athletics' isn't Oakland-specific, as it wasn't Kansas City specific or Philly specific. They may change uniform colors a bit, even though the green has suited them, and they may go through more of a modernization to match the silver or gold that other Vegas Big 4 teams have adopted. But these last few Oakland A's teams are gonna be very similar to the last Expos teams. Just a bunch of people hanging on at the end of the journey, as everyone, especially the fans, had abandoned them.

Like the 2003 and 2004 Expos, I can see some pieces of this team actually affecting future MLB progress. Unless something goes terribly wrong, I can honestly Esteury Ruiz being the flagship star of the first Vegas A's team, star of all the rebranding artwork, all of that. There is a chance that somebody like J.P. Sears could also be like that if he stays on the team long enough. Sears is the best starter in Oakland right now, he's got a 1.061 WHIP and 76 Ks despite only going 1-4 just from how pitiful the team's run support and bullpen have been. Sears had the support of the Yankee offense last year, and now he's just hoping for Tony Kemp or Seth Brown to perhaps do something. And maybe Mason Miller, who is currently injured but has been fantastic when healthy, will be one of the homegrown arms that gets this team back on the right track.

Honestly, the first few years of Vegas A's ball might not look too different from how the A's are right now. A bunch of low-market free agents trying to find a chance to play and give them something, some decent prospects that can't lead a team by themselves. Like the post-division-swap Astros teams. And then eventually somebody huge will come along and make this team a contender again, that's at least how baseball is supposed to work, I guess.

The Oakland A's were able to win 7 straight this year. Since then, they've lost six straight. They were able to take games away from the Tampa Bay Rays, which not everybody can do. There are fleeting moments where this team can actually do something right, and give the fans some hope that something will eventual happen. But I don't think anything's gonna happen while they're still in Oakland.

Coming Tomorrow- The fact that one of the coolest comeback stories of the decade so far has remained in the league, and GOOD, is pretty awesome.

Sears for Fears

 

I just have to laugh at this point. Right now the A's rotation features James Kaprielian, J.P. Sears and Ken Waldichuk. Right now the A's have more Yankee pitchers starting games for them than the Yankees do. 

It's just this league-wide trend of the Yankees getting rid of perfectly good pitching options and then those options doing better in other markets than most of the pitchers on the Yankees. I've already talked about Jordan Montgomery, who shouldn't have even been traded in the first place, and I've hinted at J.P. Sears. Sears was a pretty good depth starter for the Yankees, then the Frankie Montas deal happened and Montas forgot how to keep runs down while Sears took off. So far with the A's, Sears has a 4.30 ERA with the A's through 6 starts. Not perfect, and a few recent starts against decent teams have took off some edge, but he's still a great young asset and he's gonna blossom into a trusted arm in Oakland, while Frankie Montas probably plays for somebody else next year.

Then you have Ken Waldichuk, who I think the A's brought up while the Yankees were still in town, as a sort of 'ha-ha' move. Waldichuk is doing alright through 2 starts, he has a 3.60 ERA and 10 Ks. Nothing too shocking so far, but remember that this is still a feeble A's team that is going up against a lot of teams who are built better. Eventually this team is gonna find the tools necessary to outhit Houston or LA or somebody, but until that happens, good pitchers like Waldichuk and Sears might get lit up a bit.

I think the absolute best news is that Sean Murphy is having a great season, lifting the team in a lot of cases and outdoing a lot of young players for the WAR bonus that exists this year. You're also seeing a lot of young players like Jonah Bride, Shea Langeliers and Cody Thomas begin to inherit the team. Langeliers isn't fully well rounded yet but his power numbers are insane and he already has 13 RBIs. So while a lot hasn't worked for this team, and a lot of decent players have gotten injured, there's at least some reassurance for the next stage.

I'm not sure how many Yankees it'll take to get to the next stage, but I guess we're gonna find out.

Coming Tonight: A Rockies pitcher with ERA issues. So...a Rockies pitcher.