by Jack Paskoski
Photo Credit: MLB
We are about a week past the MLB trade deadline, and a lot of moves were made. Some of the league’s best teams improved for the present, while others improved for the future.
Bubble teams like the Cardinals, Mariners, Red Sox, and Padres made some moves to bolster their playoff hopes, while teams like the Marlins, Rays, and Blue Jays acquired young prospects that increased their success in the years to come.
So, who had the best trade deadline?
Who’s deadline didn’t go as planned?
Here are your three winners and three losers from the 2024 MLB trade deadline.
WINNER: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers had an incredibly successful deadline. They acquired IF Amed Rosario (TBR), OF Kevin Kiermaier (TOR), INF Tommy Edman (STL), RP Michael Kopech (CHW) and SP Jack Flaherty (DET)
They gave up players such as RP Michael Flynn, RP Ryan Yarborough, INF Miguel Vargas, OF Thayron Liranzo, INF Trey Sweeney, INF Jeral Perez, and INF Alexander Albertus.
The Dodgers filled every gap they needed to fill. They acquired a strong bullpen arm in Kopech, a successful starter in Flaherty, a couple of bench guys in Rosario and Kiermaier, and an infielder in Edman who hasn’t played yet this season because of injury but is confirmed to be returning soon.
The Dodgers couldn’t get much better, but they did and didn’t give up any of their top five prospects.
WINNER: Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have one of, if not the best, pitching staffs in baseball. Their bats, though, have been a different story this season. They strike out the most in the league and score the third-fewest runs per game.
The Mariners acquired INF Justin Turner (TOR), OF Randy Arozarena (TBR) and RP/CP Yimi Garcia (TOR).
They gave up OF RJ Schreck, OF Jonatan Clase, C Jacob Sharp, SP Brody Hopkins, and OF Aidan Smith.
Seattle did exactly what it needed to do, improving its lineup with two proven veteran bats in Turner and Arozarena. It also strengthened its pitching staff with the acquisition of Garcia.
These trades don’t make the Mariners a top team in the league, but it gives them an even more potent shot at the postseason. Once the postseason starts, anything can happen.
WINNER: Miami Marlins
To no surprise, the Marlins were sellers at the deadline. They had a couple of guys that teams wanted, and they got a ton of prospect talent back.
The Marlins traded away INF/OF Jazz Chisolm, CP Tanner Scott, SP Trevor Rogers, OF Bryan De La Cruz, SP Bryan Hoeing, RP JT Chargois, RP Huascar Brazoban, RP AJ Puk and INF Josh Bell.
They acquired C Agustin Ramirez, INF Jared Serna, INF Abrahan Ramirez, OF Kyle Stowers, INF Connor Norby, INF Deyvison De Los Santos and INF Andrew Pintar, INF Wilfredo Lara, SP Will Schomberg, SP Adam Mazur, INF Jay Beshears, SP Robby Snelling and INF Graham Pauley, RP Jun-Seok Shim and INF Garret Forrester.
Yes, that is quite the haul the Marlins got in return. Those names have a lot of potential, with Snelling, Mazur, Norby, and De Los Santos all ranking in the top ten for Marlins’ prospect rankings.
Kyle Stowers and Adam Mazur are the only major league-ready players out of that list. We are far from the Marlins being good again, but that’s honestly okay.
LOSER: Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are having a great season, don’t get me wrong. But they did almost nothing to improve their chances at a World Series title.
The Brewers acquired SP Frankie Montas (CIN)
They gave up RP Jakob Junis and OF Joey Wiemer.
Montas has a 5.08 ERA this season and hasn’t been very good.
The Brewers trust what they have and didn’t feel that they needed to do much at the deadline, and their lack of trades makes that a glaring point.
LOSER: Houston Astros
Overpay is the buzzword surrounding the Astros trade deadline. They only made two trades but didn’t get much better, so they traded away some young talent.
The Astros acquired SP Yusei Kikuchi (TOR) and RP Caleb Ferguson(NYY).
They gave up SP Jake Bloss, OF Joey Loperfido, and INF Will Wagner.
Houston fulfilled its need for a veteran starter in hopes of making a postseason run, but what it paid for Kikuchi seems badly weighted.
Jake Bloss is a promising starting pitcher who made his MLB debut earlier this season. Joey Loperfido is a highly-touted outfield glove with the potential to be an everyday player. Also, Will Wagner is the son of Astros legend Billy Wagner, which adds a little sentimental value (if that even matters).
Kikuchi has had an average career starting pitcher in his six MLB seasons. He can throw some nasty pitches but gets hit around the field pretty hard. He fits into the #3 spot in the rotation after Framber Valdez and Ronel Blanco.
Caleb Ferguson is a veteran left-handed reliever who has struggled this season but has posted decent career numbers.
Kikuchi will be their guy if the Astros find themselves in a Wild Card playoff series Game 3. That’s not necessarily a good thing.
LOSER: Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are the worst team in baseball—point blank, period. But they were sitting on two of the hottest names at the deadline: Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert.
Crochet and Robert were rumored to be with teams like the Dodgers, Orioles, and Yankees. Unfortunately for both players, all teams involved, and big trade fans, both are still with the White Sox.
The White Sox acquired INF Miguel Vargas, INF Alexander Albertus, INF Jeral Perez, INF William Bergolla, SP Trey McGough, and RP Jaorld Rosado.
They sent away RP Michael Kopech, SP Erick Fedde, INF Paul Dejong, OF Eloy Jimenez, OF Tommy Pham and RP Tanner Banks.
The Sox got some young prospects back for the guys they gave up, but that’s not why they are on the losers list.
They are here because they COULD have gotten double to triple the number of prospects had Crochet and Robert have been traded. I understand they were asking a lot in return, but they needed to improve quickly because of how bad they were.