The League Leader

Every trade made at the trade deadline is as folllows:

• Astros acquire: Daulton Varsho
• Brewers acquire: Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Antonio Senzatela
• Cubs acquire: Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, Tyrone Taylor
• Dodgers acquire: Tarik Skubal, Kris Bubic
• Guardians acquire: Jo Adell, Foster Griffin
• Padres acquire: Casey Mize, Robbie Ray
• Phillies acquire: Luis Arraez
• Pirates acquire: Kirby Yates, Luke Weaver
• Rays acquire: Liam Hicks, Freddy Peralta
• Red Sox acquire: Adley Rutschman
• Twins acquire: A.J. Minter, Jeff Hoffman
• Yankees acquire: Luis García Jr., Heliot Ramos

Yankees vs Red Sox

The Yankees had quite the underwhelming deadline. Yes, Luis García Jr. is a great addition and a great hitter to the lineup, especially with how poorly the lineup has been since the injuries of Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. However, adding a first baseman and outfielder was not what fans were expecting. The Yankees did not acquire the catcher and middle infielders they were hoping for.

The Red Sox’s trade for Adley Rutschman might be the biggest trade of the season. Although Skubal was the bigger name, Rutschman’s trade was the most unexpected. Rutschman will be a great fit for the Red Sox, especially filling in on the weaker position. Despite the high quality prospects they had to trade away, they gain control over the next few years of Rutschman’s career, fueling the Red Sox to make the playoffs after their recent streak.

Brewers vs Cubs

The Brewers add even more depth to their starting rotation by acquiring Dustin May and add sneakily great relievers in Romero and Senzatela. Though these are smaller trades than other teams, they are meaningful acquisitions of underrated players that will add to their contending team.

The Cubs’ trade for Kevin Gausman was expected, as their rotation has been dealing with injuries. With an already complete infield and outfield, their moves for Gausman and Holmes are big for their push to chase the Brewers in the NL Central standings.

Guardians and Phillies

The Guardians may sneakily be the biggest winner of the deadline, outside of the Dodgers. The acquisition of Foster Griffin will make their rotation among the best in the American league, and Jo Adell will be significant for the lineup. The trade puts the Guardians in a great position to chase a playoff spot.

The Phillies finally made the long-awaited trade to upgrade their lineup after Bryce Harper publicly demanded it. Luis Arraez is reportedly expected to play 2nd base, moving Bryson Stott to 3rd, Alec Bohm to 1st, and Bryce Harper to the outfield. It makes the Phillies among the deadliest lineups in baseball and in a good spot to target the Braves in the NL East, as they now have both an elite rotation and lineup.

Astros vs Blue Jays

The Astros get a rental centerfielder in Daulton Varsho for Spencer Arrighetti. This is a good trade for the Astros as they make push for a playoff spot, but it makes their starting rotation very thin. It is among the few trades at the deadline that makes both fanbases question the move. The Blue Jays have also sold big on Kevin Gausman and Jeff Hoffman, making it clear that they are determined to rebuild around Guerrero. Though it may be underwhelming for Blue Jays fans to sell after their first world series appearance in 3 decades, the Blue Jays got decent value from trading away 3 expiring contracts, which is a respectable return.