Grading each MLB team's trade deadline

With the conclusion of one of MLB's more memorable trade deadlines, we hand out grades for how each club did relative to expectations going into Thursday.

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ARI | ATH I ATL | BAL | BOS | CHC | CWS | CIN | CLE | COL | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | LAD | MIA | MIL | MIN | NYM | NYY | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | SEA | STL | TB | TEX | TOR | WSH

Angels: A lack of direction is one of the main reasons Los Angeles hasn't made the playoffs since 2014. Facing 3.7% playoff odds according to FanGraphs, the Angels opted for a soft buy, adding a pair of veteran relievers in Andrew Chafin and Luis García along with depth infielder Oswald Peraza. D

Astros: Houston reuniting with Carlos Correa was the biggest shock of the deadline. While he's no longer the star player he once was, the Astros did well to bring him in to take over third base while having the Twins cover one-third of his remaining salary. Jesús Sánchez is a very interesting power-hitting outfielder who's also an above-average defender. B+

Athletics: Having a star closer on a rebuilding club is an unnecessary luxury, so credit to the A's for flipping Mason Miller for a massive prospect haul headlined by Leo De Vries, ranked as the No. 3 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline. Braden Nett and Henry Baez also move into the top 10 in the A's system. A

Blue Jays: The Shane Bieber acquisition was a worthy gamble for the AL East leaders, who entered the deadline in search of a difference-maker in the rotation. Relievers Seranthony Domínguez and Louis Varland both rank in the 94th percentile in fastball velocity and can slot in at the back end of the 'pen. Toronto missed out on adding a power bat, which would have helped come playoff time. B+

Braves: Atlanta's disappointing campaign carried into the deadline. It's totally understandable that Alex Anthopoulos didn't want to blow things up, and his hands were tied by Marcell Ozuna's full no-trade clause, but he didn't display much creativity either. The entire 2025 season is one to forget for the Braves. C

Brewers: Milwaukee leads the NL Central on the strength of its pitching staff and focused on depth moves rather than a big swing. Adding Danny Jansen, Brandon Lockridge, and Shelby Miller (currently on IL) raises the Brewers' floor, but it doesn't do much to upgrade an offense that ranks 22nd in homers and 17th in OPS. B-

Cardinals: St. Louis remains in limbo during John Mozeliak's somewhat awkward farewell tour. Trading pending free-agent relievers Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton for six prospects headlined by Jesus Baez, who slides in as the organization's No. 6 prospect, is solid work. Chaim Bloom clearly had some influence in bringing over Blaze Jordan from Boston after drafting him in 2020. B

Cubs: It's a shame Chicago didn't operate with a little more urgency as Kyle Tucker's free agency looms. Andrew Kittredge, Michael Soroka, Willi Castro, and Taylor Rogers are all fine depth moves, but they should have come alongside a frontline starter and high-leverage reliever. B-

D-Backs: Arizona cleared out almost all of its expiring deals in hopes of a quick retool heading into 2026. Merrill Kelly, Shelby Miller, Jordan Montgomery, Eugenio Suárez, Randal Grichuk, and Josh Naylor netted the D-Backs nine players in return, with the front office prioritizing players close to the majors. Zac Gallen's poor 2025 performance hampered the club's efforts to flip him for valuable assets, and he could receive a qualifying offer in the offseason. B+

Dodgers: Although Los Angeles should get a number of stars back from injury soon, it's still weird that they didn't make any major additions at the deadline. Brock Stewart is an intriguing arm for a depleted bullpen, and Alex Call is a solid platoon outfielder. Dustin May's six-year tenure with the Dodgers ended, but it was great business to land a pair of prospects for a redundant arm. B-

Giants: It's been a weird season in San Francisco. Six weeks after the euphoria of acquiring Rafael Devers, the Giants were sellers at the deadline. Moving rentals Mike Yastrzemski and Tyler Rogers made sense - Buster Posey received a solid haul for a reliever - but trading Camilo Doval, who has two additional years of control, for a package lacking a headline prospect was an odd decision. B

Guardians: Emmanuel Clase being placed on leave likely derailed any plans Cleveland had to buy at the deadline. Instead, the Guardians didn't really do much, but that's OK. Holding on to Steven Kwan and Cade Smith should be viewed as a win. Landing Khal Stephen, who slots in as the organization's No. 7 prospect, for Shane Bieber could be a massive get. B+

Mariners: Jerry Dipoto finally acted with the urgency Mariners fans have been asking for. Seattle added the two best bats available in Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez to address massive holes at the corner infield spots. Seattle boasts one of the best lineups and rotations in the American League and could be a real threat come playoff time. A

Marlins: Miami kicked a potential Sandy Alcantara trade down the road, which isn't the worst idea given his struggles this season. Instead, Peter Bendix settled on more minor moves, trading away outfielder Jesús Sánchez and catcher Nick Fortes for four prospects. C

Mets: David Stearns has built a roster that will be an incredibly tough out come October. The Mets paid high prices for rental relievers Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto, but the bullpen is now one of the best in the majors. Cedric Mullins is also a great addition, bringing speed, power, and a solid glove to the outfield. A

Nationals: The new front office opted to sell off complementary pieces in Kyle Finnegan, Alex Call, Luis García, Andrew Chafin, and Amed Rosario for nine players. It's shaping up to be a franchise-altering winter for the Nats, who need to choose a direction. Ownership needs to either commit to spending to prop up a solid young core, or look to move MacKenzie Gore (two years of arbitration remaining) and CJ Abrams (three years of arbitration remaining) to maximize the return. It feels like Washington's wasting a window by taking half measures. C

Orioles: Pitching was the priority for Mike Elias during the deadline sell-off. Baltimore moved Gregory Soto, Ryan O'Hearn, Ramón Laureano, Cedric Mullins, Charlie Morton, Andrew Kittredge, Ramón Urías, and Seranthony Domínguez for 15 prospects - including 10 pitchers. Of that group, Boston Bateman (No. 6), Juaron Watts-Brown (No. 9), Cobb Hightower (No. 21), Wellington Aracena (No. 22), and Anthony Nunez (No. 24) slide into the organization's top 30. B

Padres: A.J. Preller hasn't met a prospect he didn't want to trade. With his club fully in its window to win, Preller went off at the deadline, acquiring Mason Miller, JP Sears, Ryan O'Hearn, Ramón Laureano, Nestor Cortes, Freddy Fermin, and Will Wagner while keeping closer Robert Suarez and starter Dylan Cease. Preller upgraded an offense that ranked second last in home runs, enhanced an already elite bullpen, and kept his major-league roster intact. Did it cost him MLB's No. 3 prospect in Leo De Vries and six players from last year's draft class? Sure, but San Diego's time to contend is now, and the front office has done a great job of continuing to supplement the minor-league system. It's a damn exciting time to be a Padres fan. A

Phillies: Dave Dombrowski checked off the most important item on his list by reeling in one of the game's best closers in Jhoan Duran, who also comes with two more years of control. He's a difference-maker and exactly what the Phillies needed to anchor the bullpen. The cost was steep - two top 100 prospects - but Philadelphia's World Series window with this core is closing, and Dombrowski was able to hold onto his three best prospects. Harrison Bader also brings a great glove and some pop to the outfield. A

Pirates: Pittsburgh's heading into a 10th straight losing season and lacks any reason for optimism except watching Paul Skenes every fifth day. Ben Cherington did well to dump Ke'Bryan Hayes' salary and add prospect Sammy Stafura. He also received a pair of intriguing catching prospects in exchange for David Bednar, but the front office eventually needs to stop sending out talent and start building a team that can win major-league games. The Pirates' failure to get anything for impending free agents Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Andrew Heaney, and Tommy Pham was puzzling. C

Rangers: Texas did a great job with some sneaky good additions that complement a team hitting its stride. Merrill Kelly is a nice arm to slide in behind Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom in the front of the rotation, while Danny Coulombe (1.16 ERA) and Phil Maton (2.35) are established veteran relievers enjoying strong seasons. B+

Rays: It was another fascinating deadline for a team that always operates as both a buyer and a seller. The Rays kept their core veterans, dealt away some rental pieces for players with term, and got better in the future and in the interim. Flipping Taj Bradley, who was demoted prior to the deadline, for Griffin Jax could be a major boon to the bullpen for several years. B+

Red Sox: The front office entered the deadline preaching an aggressiveness that didn't bear fruit. Craig Breslow promised they tried hard, though. While the Red Sox did get slightly better by adding starter Dustin May and reliever Steven Matz, they're both rentals. Boston played its way into a playoff spot despite the Rafael Devers trade, and this was the time when the front office was supposed to reallocate resources to meaningfully supplement the roster. That didn't happen. C

Reds: Cincinnati went into the deadline sitting three games out of a playoff spot and made some interesting decisions, bringing in two players with some performance issues. Ke'Bryan Hayes, owed $30 million over the next four seasons, is a strong defender, but his 59 wRC+ ranks last among qualified third basemen over the last two seasons. Zack Littell is a rental starter who owns the second-highest HR/9 (1.8) in the majors. C+

Rockies: Not much was expected from a team with a .259 winning percentage. Getting out of the remaining $32 million on Ryan McMahon's deal was a great move - if the club reinvests that savings in the offseason - and selling high on Jake Bird also worked out. Colorado netted its new No. 5, 11, 19, and 27 prospects without having much to sell. B

Royals: Kansas City deserves some credit for not waving the white flag, even if it didn't make any major deadline moves. Randal Grichuk and Mike Yastrzemski bring some desperately needed power to the outfield, while Bailey Falter slots into a rotation that's been pretty banged up. The Royals have 12 more games against the rebuilding White Sox and Twins, so maybe they'll get hot down the stretch and sneak into a playoff spot. B

Tigers: Detroit looked like the best team in the AL for most of the season but limped into the deadline, losing 12 of 17 games. Although pitching was the Tigers' deadline focus, the additions of Kyle Finnegan, Paul Sewald, Codi Heuer, Rafael Montero, Charlie Morton, and Chris Paddack do more to raise the floor than the ceiling. The front office clearly didn't want to part with any of its top prospects, taking a long-term view rather than being aggressive this year. C

Twins: What a shame. Minnesota possessed a strong core, but ownership just wouldn't commit to investing financially to make this team a true contender. Lacking depth, the club opted for a sell-off at the deadline, moving 10 players off the 26-man roster. Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel are intriguing pieces, and the front office was able to add new names to the top 30 prospect pool while clearing out a large chunk of Carlos Correa's contract. But you have to imagine Twins fans would have preferred to see the front office build around this core rather than blow it up. F (for blowing it up)/B (for the return)

White Sox: Chicago continues to hold on to Luis Robert Jr. in hopes he'll eventually morph back into his 2023 All-Star form. The front office called everyone's bluff by saying it'll exercise the outfielder's $20-million option next season rather than trade him for a perceived weak return. We'll see how that turns out. The White Sox did flip Adrian Houser for three prospects, headlined by Curtis Mead. C

Yankees: New York's success this season depends on the health of Aaron Judge, but Brian Cashman did well to address the team's two biggest weaknesses - defense and relief pitching. David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Bird significantly improve a bullpen that ranked second last in the majors in ERA in July. Ryan McMahon solidifies third base, while José Caballero and Amed Rosario make the bench much more versatile. A