The 2025 MLB trade deadline exploded with blockbuster trades and last-minute deals, closing at 6 p.m. ET on July 31. Consequently, fans and insiders buzzed with excitement. Ken Rosenthal called it “a wild, wild day,” highlighting the fast-paced transactions reshaping rosters. Similarly, Jeff Passan noted “a deadline defined by surprises,” emphasizing the unexpected high-profile moves. Meanwhile, Bob Nightengale of USA Today dubbed it “one of the most hectic deadlines in years.” Now, we’ll evaluate each team’s moves and grade them.
Grading All 30 Teams at the MLB Trade Deadline: National League
NL East
New York Mets
Grade: A
The Mets’ MLB trade deadline was a masterclass in addressing what was needed, turning a bullpen that ranked 17th in ERA (4.81 since May 1) into a strength, and upgrading its outfield without gutting the farm. Acquisitions of Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers, and Ryan Helsley create a lethal bullpen paired with Reed Garrett and Edwin Díaz. Cedric Mullins upgrades center field at a low cost. In a seller’s market, only giving up Wellington Aracena, Cameron Foster, Blade Tidwell (No. 10 prospect), Drew Gilbert (No. 12 prospect), Jesus Baez, Nate Dohm, Frank Elissalt, Anthony Nunez (No. 14 prospect), and Raimon Gomez (No. 30 prospect) preserves future flexibility. The Mets line up with the Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers, and the Padres as we enter the stretch run.
Atlanta Braves
Grade: C
Acquiring Erick Fedde, Carlos Carrasco, and Tyler Kinley, the Braves do the bare minimum in a year that fans are waiting for to end. Not much to talk about here. Marcell Ozuna will play out the rest of his contract at Truist Park, and General Manager Alex Anthopoulos will begin planning for what moves to make during the offseason.
Philadelphia Phillies
Grade: B+
The Phillies are trying to win the World Series. As Jeff Passan noted on Baseball Tonight, “Bryce Harper’s not getting any younger. Kyle Schwarber’s a free agent after this season. J.T. Realmuto’s a free agent after this season.” The Phillies are in ‘win-now’ mode, and President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the uncomfortable deals necessary for the Phillies to compete deep into October. The additions of Jhoan Duran and Harrison Bader bolster their needs. Ranking 24th across the league in bullpen ERA, Duran will close games with his 100.2 average velocity fastball and fool hitters with his devastating 97.5 mph splitter. Bader will offer gold glove defense, alongside his career postseason 131 wRC+ (weighted runs created plus).
Washington Nationals
Grade: B-
The Nationals dealt away closer Kyle Finnegan and outfielder Alex Call. While they are “sellers,” the Nats got good value on what they gave up. In the Finnegan deal, the returning players are No. 15 prospect RHP Josh Randall and RHP R.J. Sales. Randall’s sinker-slider centered repertoire produces groundballs at an above-average rate with wing-and-miss capabilities. His best pitch may be his changeup, but that is still a work in progress. Sales, selected in the 10th round of the 2024 draft, is in Single-A, but making a good first impression in his first professional season with a 2.71 ERA in 16 games (15 starts). Sean Paul Linan and Eriq Swan come into the Nationals’ farm system from the Call trade with the Dodgers. They enter the Nats’ top 30 rankings at 10 and 12. Jeff Passan notes Linan’s changeup as “a devastating pitch”. The Nationals upgraded their farm and did a good job getting value for players who won’t be part of their next playoff run.
Miami Marlins
Grade: D+
Ken Rosenthal said it best: “Um, what did the Marlins do?” Trading away Jesus Sanchez to the Houston Astros was the only move made in Miami. Before the MLB trade deadline, rumors were growing like a wildfire over the starters Sandy Alcántara and Edward Cabrera. Unfortunately, neither player was dealt, and the Marlins will play out the rest of the season as a punching bag for the rest of the NL East. PBO Peter Bendix believes Alcántara will be back to his Cy Young self next season, and Cabrera, alongside Eury Perez, will also be frontline starting pitchers. So, maybe it was the right move not to sell? Time will tell.
NL Central
Chicago Cubs
Grade: C-
The Cubs needed to add a frontline starting pitcher before time ran out. PBO Jed Hoyer made a deal to acquire RHP Mike Soroka, but at best, he slots into the fourth or fifth spot in a rotation. For a really good team, presumably one starting pitcher away from being a World Series favorite, the failure to add a frontline piece to fill the void of Justin Steele diminishes their chances of getting back to the Fall Classic. Wrigleyville added utility man Willi Castro from the Twin Cities, a major addition for depth, and RHP Andrew Kittredge, who will fill in as bullpen depth. Are the Cubs still a contender? Yes. Are their chances better after the deadline? Simply put, no.
Milwaukee Brewers
Grade: B-
The Brewers added depth yesterday in catcher Danny Jansen from Tampa Bay and Shelby Miller from Arizona. They didn’t do anything special, but they didn’t need to. Holding the best record in the majors, Milwaukee got Brandon Woodruff back from injury, has rookie sensation Jacob Misorowski, and Quinn Priester, arguably the best No. 4 starter in all of baseball. Andrew Vaughn looks like the second coming of Barry Bonds since arriving, holding a 1.209 OPS with his new club. An elite pitching staff ties fluidly with a top-tier defense. And while there isn’t “thump” in its offense, they get on base, steal bases, and cause havoc for opposing defenses.
Cincinnati Reds
Grade: B-
On a very club-friendly deal, the Reds brought in Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates. Arguably the best defensive third baseman in baseball, Hayes solidifies the left side of their infield. A well below league-average bat is worrisome, but he homered last night in an electrifying 12-11 loss to Atlanta. This move won’t propel the Reds past Milwaukee or the Cubs, but bringing in RHP Zack Littell and OF Miguel Andujar puts Cincinnati one step closer to its first postseason berth since 2020.
St. Louis Cardinals
Grade: Somewhere Between an A and F
At least the Cardinals knew they weren’t good enough to make the playoffs this season. Consistently inconsistent, unable to get hot, St. Louis is five and a half games back of the final Wild Card spot and not a threat to squeak in. Trading away LHP Steven Matz to Boston, RHP Phil Maton to Texas, and RHP Ryan Helsley to the Mets, they did what PBO John Mozeliak said they would. Trade away their rentals. Expect moves this offseason from St. Louis, No. 1 prospect JJ Wetherholt is on the verge of his MLB debut, and a low payroll will allow flexibility come free agency.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Grade: N/A
A team that doesn’t spend, actively salary dumping, and refuses to supplement extraordinary talent. The Pittsburgh Pirates do their fan base a disservice every chance they get. The Steel City got LHP Taylor Rogers and SS Sammy Stafura for Ke’Bryan Hayes. Stafura is an intriguing prospect, selected in the second round of the 2023 draft. Pittsburgh moved Rogers shortly after to the Cubs for Ivan Brethowr. Please, Bob Nutting, just sell the team already. Although they do get points for not trading away Paul Skenes (yet).
NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers
Grade: C+
The thought going into this past week was that Andrew Friedman would (as always) make the big move. Surprisingly enough, outside of the addition of RHP Brock Stewart, not much for this superteam. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic notes, “I do think they need one more starting pitcher, just in case Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki aren’t great”. The problem the Dodgers face right now is health, but once that returns, Dave Roberts’ club will be the best team in the National League.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Grade: B+
Arizona would get an ‘A’, but no seller deserves that. General Manager Mike Hazen made a mistake by not moving Zac Gallen, who will be a free agent at year’s end. Trading away third baseman Eugenio Suárez, first baseman Josh Naylor, and SP Merrill Kelly, a team nine games out of a playoff spot did what was needed. The deals made, the talent in return does not disappoint. LHP Brandyn Garcia and RHP Ashton Izzi for Naylor. Jeff Passan praises “First baseman of the future, Tyler Locklear,” Hynter Cranton, and Juan Burgos as the return for Suarez. This Arizona team should be good, but it isn’t, and the necessary moves to compete in the future had to be made.
San Francisco Giants
Grade: B
The acquisition of Rafael Devers in mid-June signaled the Giants as buyers going into the MLB trade deadline, but a 2-12 slide into yesterday put them at a 54-55 record, six games out of the last Wild Card position. Tyler Rogers traded to the Mets netted San Francisco José Buttó, No. 10 prospect Blade Tidwell, and No. 12 prospect Drew Gilbert. PBO Buster Posey did what was unfortunately needed, but excelled in doing so. Camilo Duval and Mike Yastrzemski also leave the Bay Area.
San Diego Padres
Grade: A
A.J. Preller set the fireworks off yesterday with the acquisition of Mason Miller and JP Sears from Sacramento. Staying true to his reputation of tossing high-tier prospects out the window for elite MLB talent, Preller kicked MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 overall prospect Leodalis De Vries (Padres No. 1), Braden Nett (No. 3), Henry Baez (No. 13), and Eduarniel Nunez (No. 17) to the Athletics. A ridiculous trade that no one saw coming. Next, Preller said goodbye to Boston Bateman (No. 6), Cobb Hightower (No. 8), Tyson Neighbors (No. 16), Brandon Butterworth, Victor Figueroa, and Tanner Smith to welcome in All-Star first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano. At the buzzer, the Padres acquired catcher Freddy Fermin from Kansas City in exchange for Ryan Bergert (No. 9) and Stephen Kolek. San Diego also got Will Wagner from Toronto, Nestor Cortes Jr., and Jorge Quintana from Milwaukee. Yeah, San Diego is a force to be reckoned with, though they paid the price.
Colorado Rockies
Grade: C
The Rockies, yet again, are not a good club. The pieces available to be moved were, and a decent amount of value was brought back. Ryan McMahon and Jake Bird both go to the Bronx in exchange for Griffin Herring (No. 18), Josh Grosz, Roc Riggio (No. 20), and Ben Shields. Um… thanks for participating this year!
Grading the MLB Trade Deadline: American League
AL East
New York Yankees
Grade: A
After we learned Aaron Judge would be missing time due to injury, saying the Yankees would sell wouldn’t be crazy, but “sell” isn’t in Brian Cashman’s vocabulary. By the early afternoon yesterday, nothing was going on in the Bronx until a flurry of moves turned an abysmal bullpen into one of the best in baseball. David Bednar from Pittsburgh, Jake Bird from Colorado, and Camilo Doval from San Francisco are game-changers for New York. Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario, Jose Caballero, and Austin Slater fill gaps both offensively and defensively. With Judge set to return in the first week of August, the Bronx Bombers are ready for their redemption tour in the postseason. Oh yeah, and Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. are still a part of the Yankees’ farm.
Boston Red Sox
Grade: D+
For half a minute, this grade was an A, but a false report on Joe Ryan going to Boston left them with just two deadline additions. Steven Matz, a left-handed relief pitcher from the Cardinals, and Dustin May, a right-handed, injury-prone starter from the Dodgers. For the first time since 2021, the Red Sox hold a playoff spot on the day of the MLB trade deadline, and PBO Craig Breslow failed miserably at improving his roster. Ownership, from President Sam Kennedy, Chairman Tom Warner, and PBO Breslow, is on record as promising Boston will be buyers, will be aggressive, and will improve the club. Fans are not happy, and it’s hard to disagree with that.
Toronto Blue Jays
Grade: B
Going into the deadline, the Blue Jays wanted a starter, two relievers, and a bat. They ended up with Shane Bieber, Seranthony Domínguez, Louis Varland, Ty France, and Brandon Valenzuela. Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Ross Atkins “came through on their objective,” says Jeff Passan. Toronto got what they needed. Nothing too flashy, nothing too bland, but got the job done.
Baltimore Orioles
Grade: C
The Orioles, offensively, have all the talent in the world. Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo, Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser, Adley Rutschman, and Heston Kjerstad are all young, promising players. Their downfall was pitching. A starting pitcher ERA of 5.07 on the season ranks 29th in the league, and they rank 25th in bullpen ERA. With no chance of making the playoffs, the front office recognized it. Players that aren’t part of the larger picture are gone, and the farm is loaded with high-ceiling pitching prospects.
Tampa Bay Rays
Grade: B-
Having recently sold ownership and in the race for a Wild Card position, the Rays bought at the deadline. Adding catcher Nick Fortes, catcher Hunter Feduccia, right-handed pitcher Brian Van Belle, right-handed pitcher Adrian Houser, and right-handed pitcher Griffin Jax, Erik Neander is good at what he does, and he acquired talent that gives the Rays a shot at a postseason berth. Tampa Bay did not perform well in July (7-16), but ultimately decided not to sell the likes of Pete Fairbanks, Yandy Díaz, and Brandon Lowe.
AL Central
Detroit Tigers
Grade: B-
An end-of-July scuffle tainted the chances of an all-out buy for Detroit, but with a huge lead in the AL Central, a blockbuster trade wasn’t necessary for PBO Scott Harris’ club. By acquiring Kyle Finnegan, Chris Paddack, Paul Sewald, Rafael Montero, and Charlie Morton, the Tigers were able to bolster their rotation and bullpen. Not dipping into their top prospects, Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, or Bryce Rainer, the Tigers are primed to compete now and well into the future. Though the question remains: did they do enough to win a pennant?
Chicago White Sox
Grade: C
Approaching the MLB trade deadline, one of the biggest trade pieces across the league was Luis Robert Jr. Still, on June 1, he resides on the South Side. As clear sellers, continuing their rebuild under General Manager Chris Getz, the White Sox made some moves with a decent return. Austin Slater went to the Yankees in exchange for No. 18 prospect Gage Ziehl. Adrian Houser went to Tampa for first baseman Curtis Mead, right-handed pitcher Duncan Davitt, and right-handed pitcher Ben Peoples. For a team needing depth over star power, the White Sox did alright.
Cleveland Guardians
Grade: D
Aiming to trade closer Emmanuel Clase and potentially outfielder Steven Kwan, Cleveland signaled a sell-off. MLB’s investigation into Clase and relief pitcher Luis Ortiz put the Guardians into a murky area. On the restricted list, Chris Antonetti couldn’t move Clase, and all deadline operations were put on hold. A trade was made nonetheless. They dealt Shane Bieber to Toronto for No. 5 prospect, right-handed pitcher Khal Stevenson.
Kansas City Royals
Grade: B-
A team that should be going all in while shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is in his prime, the Royals find themselves in a grey area. Sure, they added Randal Grichuk, Adam Frazier, Ryan Bergert, Stephen Kolek, Bailey Falter, and Mike Yastrzemski, but those additions don’t move the needle enough. Seth Lugo’s extension is a positive step for the club, but bigger acquisitions are essential to return to the postseason. Injuries play a role in a disappointing season for Kansas City. Kris Bubic is done for the season, and injuries to Lugo, Wacha, and the bullpen show that a 54-55 record doesn’t reflect the true identity of the club. They aim to improve, and their deadline moves show that commitment.
Minnesota Twins
Grade: B+
“The biggest fire sale we’ve seen in a long time,” ESPN’s Buster Olney calls how the Twins handled this year’s MLB trade deadline. Carlos Correa, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Danny Coulombe, Willi Castro, Ty France, Chris Paddack, Randy Dobnak, Louis Varland, Harrison Bader, and Brock Stewart all leave Minnesota within 24 hours. For reference, that is 40% of their big league roster. From a fan’s perspective, this deadline is an F. Jeff Passan, in a state of disbelief, said, “I am shocked at how deep this went.” With the team on the market, the front office aims to reduce payroll for the incoming buyer. While many players left Minnesota, Joe Ryan remains with the team.
The Twins’ deadline work reminds me so much of the ’93 Padres/Fire Sale. Because of ownership issues, unloaded big payroll obligations. Added prospects. Joe Ryan is Andy Benes, @AndyBenes40 the starting pitcher the Padres kept. Byron Buxton is to the Twins now what Tony Gwynn was…
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 1, 2025
AL West
Houston Astros
Grade: B-
Battling injuries for the whole season, with up to 18 players on the injured list, the first-place Astros attacked the adversity in front of them head-on. Issac Paredes is out for the season with a significant hamstring injury, so General Manager Dana Brown reunited an old fan favorite, Carlos Correa, with his club. Agreeing to play third base, Correa is back in Houston. Ramon Urias and Jesus Sanchez also came to Houston at the MLB trade deadline. The grade would be higher, but negotiations to acquire Dylan Cease from the Padres fell apart, and the Astros are without an important rotation spot after Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez.
Seattle Mariners
Grade: A+
The Mariners missed the postseason every year after their 2022 miracle due to an inability to bolster a weak lineup, despite having one of baseball’s top rotations. Those days are now behind us. Seattle, without a doubt, won this year’s MLB trade deadline, making trades for Eugenio Suárez, Josh Naylor, and Caleb Ferguson. While other teams made numerous roster upgrades, the Mariners secured the top available talent. One through six in its order is possibly the best it’s ever been. Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez, J.P. Crawford, Naylor, and Suarez are about as good a lineup as can be. Most notably for Seattle, PBO Jerry Dipoto didn’t give up a single one of his top eight prospects, who are all top 100 guys, for Naylor or Suárez.
Los Angeles Angels
Grade: They Bought?!
A week ago, it was universally known that the Angels were sellers. Then the deals started to come through. Anaheim added Luis Garcia, Andrew Chafin, and Oswald Peraza to its roster. The Angels are the Angels; they don’t have the starting pitching to win enough games down the stretch, and their lineup doesn’t have the consistency to make enough of a push. If Mike Trout were still 27, these additions would make sense, but the breakout of Jo Adell doesn’t move the needle enough to take the moves by Los Angeles seriously.
Texas Rangers
Grade: B
Insiders doubt the Rangers’ rotation can carry them to the postseason due to injury concerns, but they remain just one game from a Wild Card spot in a weaker American League. Merrill Kelly addresses the depth needed in the rotation, and Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton fill gaps in the bullpen. With an improved pitching staff, the only thing holding Texas back is its streaky lineup.
Athletics
Grade: A+
Main Photo Credit: G Fiume/Getty Images)
The post MLB Trade Deadline Report Card: Grading All 30 Teams’ Deadline Deals appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.