The 2022 MLB trade deadline had passed and it was quite a news frenzy. The movements were many and attracted attention. Well, some of them were. Each of baseball’s 30 teams has written its own story over the past few days. But according to the stories, some were more engaging than others. Here’s what we picked up — and where we think those stories end up.
Front page stories
There are five teams that made moves that we’re sure to be talking about come October — holding on to weak spots before the playoffs, taking a flier on an underrated player or, in the case of our models on the visible part of the cover, trading for one of the most -the best players of this generation.
San Diego Padres
Title: “The Birth of the Power Trio”
The Padres have never won a World Series. If they don’t make that fact obsolete in the near future, you can’t blame general manager AJ Preller for taking a passive approach.
Juan Soto is headed to San Diego in one of the biggest deals in MLB. Here’s what you need to know about the deal.
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San Diego entered the deadline needing offense, especially in the outfield and, possibly, at first base. The Friars also needed some bullpen help. To say Preller has responded to his team’s needs doesn’t do his actions the last two days justice. It’s the trade deadline equivalent of having to get a band together and create the Beatles.
There is still work to be done on the ground. But the Padres now feature the game’s most dominant reliever in Josh Hader. They now include this generation’s Ted Williams in Juan Soto. And when Fernando Tatis Jr. returns to the lineup, the Padres will boast one of the most dynamic big threes we’ve seen in baseball, with Soto and Tatis joined by 2022 MVP candidate Manny Machado.
Bottom line: The biggest winner
New York Yankees
Title: “Can Someone Catch Them Now?”
The Yankees have made headlines all season with the power-laden heart of the order, which will continue to create excitement around Aaron Judge’s pursuit of historic home run figures. But the reason the Yankees went from very good to great is run prevention.
At the deadline, the Yankees improved their already elite bullpen, improving their pitching, defense and ability to face any opponent.
The pitching: With the addition of Scott Efros and Lou Trivino to the bullpen, the Yankees have covered themselves in case Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga don’t continue their recent progress. But if they do, that quartet will back up closer Clay Holmes in an October-ready game.
With the addition of Frankie Montas, the Yankees now have five playoff-caliber starters and would have a sixth if Luis Severino can return from a lat strain. Of course, you don’t need that many starters in the playoffs, and extras can further deepen the bullpen .
And the defense — the Yankees have been near the top in most defensive metrics all season. But with the additions of Andrew Benintendi and Harrison Bader (once he returns from injury), they have an outfield that can go with anyone.
The Yankees aren’t just a big-name team. They are a well built team and have all the hallmarks of a great one.
Bottom row: Winner
Houston Astros
Title: “Almost Complete Set”
Houston was this close to checking off all of its performance deadlines. They upgraded catcher with Christian Vazquez, a pickup that became more important with Tuesday’s news that Jason Castro was done for the season.
Houston made an even softer pickup by acquiring Trey Mancini from the Orioles, covering them in case Yuli Gurriel doesn’t start or Michael Brantley can’t get healthy. They added a playoff-proven reliever in Will Smith, a lefty for a bullpen that didn’t have one.
2 Connected
But the Astros didn’t get a center fielder — in fact, they lost one, sending Jose Siri to the Rays in the three-team trade that brought in Mancini. Bader would be the perfect pickup, both defensively and offensively, who could take advantage of Crawford’s boxes.
Houston is so close to being a complete team, and maybe they’ll still get there if Jake Myers and Chas McCormick can handle it under center. But the margin for error is slim, because every Astros weakness becomes apparent when facing the Yankees’ sparkling roster.
Bottom line: Mostly a winner
New York Mets
Title: “Seeking Relief”
The good news on Tuesday was the return of Jacob deGrom. He threw five strong innings against Washington, and while it was wise to cut him there in his season debut, he looked more than capable of going deeper. Adding deGrom to the pitching staff is as big a deadline addition as a team can make.
But then deGrom left and the Mets’ bullpen was battered, and by night’s end New York’s Atlanta tight end was down a game. The addition of Michael Givens helps. But will he be enough when we get to October and the Mets struggle to bridge the gap between their starters and their elusive closer in Edwin Diaz?
Bottom line: I wanted more
Atlanta Braves
Title: “Hey it worked last year”
Last season, it felt like Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos lost control of himself as he acquired one outfielder after another in what felt like a futile quest to fill the giant shoes of injured star Ronald Acuna Jr. Then, of course, some of those outfielders were instrumental in helping the Braves win the World Series.
The Braves didn’t have as big of a hole to fill this time around, but they recently lost Adam Duvall for the season and still don’t know when they might get Ozzie Albies back in the lineup.
Which stars moved? Which contenders made the biggest splash? Here’s everything that popped up before the deadline.
Track MLB Trade Deadline »
Ratings for each deal »
Robbie Grossman is usually a good complementary outfielder, but he’s having a rough season. Maybe a change of scenery will help, but he’s also a 32-year-old journeyman.
Anthopoulos, meanwhile, reworked his bullpen dynamic on the fly by firing Smith, slotting Jake Odorizzi into the back end of his rotation (possibly only as a luxury addition) and trading a real prospect in Tucker Davidson for closer Rayzel Iglesias, who has been outstanding inconsistent this season. And, by the way, Atlanta already has Kenley Janson.
Anthopoulos won the doubt after last season. But … this feels disgusting.
Bottom row: Fingers crossed
Short stories
These 13 teams have given us something to work with — but there are many chapters that still need to be written.
Matt Marton/USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Dodgers
Title: “Permanent Road Just To Make It Interesting”
Fun fact: Entering Tuesday’s game, since the start of last season, Cody Bellinger and Joey Gallo were hitting exactly .186. But because he’s hit more homers and drawn more walks, Gallo has a 156-point advantage in OPS. And his addition was the Dodgers’ biggest deadline move. At the end of the day, though – they might still be the best team in baseball.
Bottom line: Winner by default
Boston Red Sox
Title: “If Yogi Berra Was a Franchise”
You trade your starting catcher, you bring in a career backup, you make a deal for a declining, lefty hitting first baseman even though one of your best prospects is a lefty hitting first baseman in Triple A, you give away one of your better pitching prospects, to get that declining first baseman and add a veteran outfielder, but send one of your best lefties to the bullpen and it ends up being all hard and furious and means nothing. All you can say is that it gets late very early here.
Bottom line: Who knows?
Seattle Sailors
Title: “Big Splash, Small Ripples”
Jerry DiPoto brought in Luis Castillo, the best starting pitcher on the trade market, and paid quite a prospect price for it. He also ended that business early, leaving him to focus on finding an infusion for an offense that needed one. Instead, DiPoto has spent the past few days pillaging other teams’ release clauses and injured lists.
Bottom line: Incomplete
Washington Nationals
Title: “It Could Be Worse”
The Nationals’ heyday of the last decade is but a memory, and it feels like it went by awfully fast. Trading Juan Soto will never feel good, and none of his trades will leave a team a winner at the deadline. But there’s no question that the Padres acquisition adds some elite skills to Washington’s system. When you factor in the returns from last year’s close trades, the Nats have the beginnings of a rebuild. But the hard part is yet to come.
Conclusion: Loser
Philadelphia Phillies
Title: “Dombrowski doesn’t mess around”
Which teams excelled and which failed to live up to expectations in the first half of the 162-game season?
It hands out anything from an A-plus to an F
Second half preview for all 30 teams
Noah Syndergaard, David Robertson and Brandon Marsh were all acquired on deadline day to help the Phillies’ push for a National League playoff spot that didn’t even exist before this season. That was one of the goals of the new format, to get teams to be in a winning mode now. If Dave Dombrowski managed every team, it wouldn’t be necessary. Love it or hate it, the guys always keep it interesting.
Bottom row: Winner
Cincinnati Reds
Title: “Okay, so they had a plan”
The Reds have drawn much scorn for their demolition of last season, a process set in motion by the stated need to “align wages with resources”. And while a statement like that excites no one but MBA candidates, you’ve got to hand it to Cincinnati: they’ve got their system loaded. Right now, it doesn’t look like a long-term recovery.
Bottom row: Winner
Minnesota Twins
Headline: “Good Enough for AL Central”
The Twins needed pitching, starters and relievers. So they grabbed a new player in Jorge Lopez, a quality reliever in Michael Fulmer and a solid starter in Tyler Male. The Twins, on paper, have separated themselves from Chicago and Cleveland in the race for the AL Central.
Bottom row: Winner
Toronto Blue Jays
Title: “Better but not…
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