MLB trade deadline: Analysis for all moves

Follow along for analysis of all transactions leading into Thursday's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline.

Mets make another major add with Helsley

The battle for top spot in the NL East is going to be a heavyweight fight, with the Phillies and Mets currently throwing haymakers. New York has added Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers, and now Ryan Helsley to bridge the final innings to star closer Edwin Díaz. Helsley, a free agent at the end of the season, will likely slide into a setup role despite leading the NL with 70 saves over the last two campaigns. Though Helsley sports a career-worst 9.0 H/9 this season, he's still striking out batters (10.3 K/9) at an elite level. He's also allowed just one run and two walks over his last 11 appearances. Given the Mets' success with their pitching in recent years, it'll be interesting to see how they maximize Helsley's repertoire.

Adding three relievers hasn't come cheap - with the Mets trading away eight players - but the club has been able to deal mostly from the depths of a strong minor-league system and held on to its top-tier prospects. Jesus Baez, New York's No. 8 prospect, and Nate Dohm (No. 14) are the headliners, but both are in A-ball and have no impact on New York's current window. They will help improve the Cardinals' minor-league system, however, as the organization prepares to hand the keys over to Chaim Bloom. The former Red Sox chief baseball officer was likely heavily involved in the return which is good news in St. Louis, as he's proven to be a great identifier of future talent. It was a surprise that Helsley wasn't dealt in the offseason, but the Cardinals still landed a strong return by waiting until the trade deadline.

Phillies land star closer Duran

Dave Dombrowski loves himself a deadline deal. Shortly after the Mets made a major move to bring in Tyler Rogers, the Phillies' president of baseball operations took his own big swing by acquiring star closer Jhoan Duran to anchor a bullpen that needs a lot of help. Duran was arguably the best reliever on the market. The hard-throwing right-hander owns a 2.01 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 9.3 K/9 this season. Most importantly, he's allowed just one home run across 49 1/3 innings and is arbitration-eligible through 2027. The price the Phillies paid to land Duran was significant, but with an aging roster fully in its World Series window, it's a necessary move for Dombrowski. Flags, of course, fly forever.

Minnesota did exceptionally well to land Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait, two top-100 prospects. Losing Duran hurts, but having a star closer is an unnecessary luxury item for a team out of contention and with payroll issues. Abel, 23, has seen his prospect stock dip a bit in recent years, but he's put together an encouraging season in Triple-A and could slide into the Twins' rotation down the stretch. Tait, 18, gives the organization a potential future franchise catcher.

Mets bolster 'pen with Rogers addition

The Giants appear to be selling less than two months after Buster Posey pulled off the shocking blockbuster deal to acquire Rafael Devers. Tyler Rogers, one of MLB's most underrated bullpen arms, is off to Queens for an intriguing package that seems like a strong return for a rental reliever. Rogers - who was traded hours after his twin brother Taylor was dealt from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh - owns a 1.80 ERA and 0.86 WHIP across 53 appearances this season. While he's only struck out 38 batters, he's allowed just four walks and three home runs. The Mets have made it a priority to address a bullpen that ranks 17th in ERA and 19th in WHIP in July. Rogers' unorthodox delivery will be an excellent complement to flamethrower Edwin Díaz late in games.

The return Posey was able to land from New York indicates San Francisco's desire to quickly retool heading into 2026. Buttó immediately slides into the Giants' bullpen and, as a former starter, could eventually be stretched out. Tidwell, the Mets' No. 10 prospect, is another pitcher who's already made his MLB debut and could slot into San Francisco's depleted rotation. Gilbert was a first-round pick in 2022 and their No. 12 prospect. He's enjoyed a solid season in Triple-A as a 24-year-old. With Rogers on the move, expect Posey to entertain offers for other players on expiring deals like Justin Verlander, Wilmer Flores, and Mike Yastrzemski - or even closer Camilo Doval, who is arbitration-eligible through 2027.

Reds land Gold Glove winner Hayes from division rival

The Reds are hoping they've stopped their revolving door at third base by acquiring Ke'Bryan Hayes from the Pirates, their NL Central rivals. The 28-year-old won his first and only Gold Glove in 2023 and remains an elite defender at the position, sitting in the 99th percentile in outs above average this season, per Baseball Savant. As elite as Hayes is defensively, however, his bat leaves a lot to be desired, especially in recent years. He's hit just six home runs to go with a .571 OPS and 58 wRC+ over the last two seasons. Cincinnati will hope the change of scenery gives Hayes an opportunity to return to the 3-fWAR player he was in both 2022 and 2023. He owns a .738 OPS with four home runs - his highest career output in any road park - in 27 games at Great American Ball Park.

Trading Hayes represents another disappointing chapter for the Pirates franchise. The organization's first-round pick in 2015, Hayes inked an eight-year, $70-million extension in 2022. It was supposed to be a new era for the Pirates in which they spent to keep their young core intact. Hayes was the team's second-highest paid position player this season, and his departure is more of a salary dump than anything else. Sammy Stafura is the Reds' No. 9 prospect and is likely years away from reaching the majors. Taylor Rogers is on an expiring deal and was likely included in order to even out some of the salary.

Angels are buyers?

Los Angeles swung a trade for veteran relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis García despite entering play Wednesday four games out of a playoff spot and with FanGraphs putting its playoff odds at 5.3%. The Angels are 12-13 in July with a minus-14 run differential, while the Tigers, Mariners, Guardians, Yankees, Astros, and Royals - all teams ahead of them in the playoff race - have easier remaining schedules, according to Tankathon.

Neither Chafin nor García is a difference-maker, but they should boost a bullpen that ranks 27th in ERA (4.99) and WHIP (1.45). The Angels are starting to build a solid core, and with one playoff appearance in the previous 15 years, it's easy to understand the front office making a push down the stretch in an open American League. That said, with so few sellers at the deadline, there's a better argument to be made that the Angels should capitalize by moving veterans like Kenley Jansen and Taylor Ward in hopes of building up their roster heading into 2026. Raising the floor in an attempt to sneak into a playoff spot is a puzzling decision.

Slater goes from South Side to Bronx

The Yankees continue to supplement their roster depth. Austin Slater is a right-handed bench bat with a strong arm who can play all three outfield positions, giving New York some insurance should Aaron Judge be unable to play defensively again this season due to a flexor strain. Slater is enjoying a solid season in a reserve role, posting five home runs and a .721 OPS in 51 games. He's been exceptionally good against left-handed pitching, slashing .261/.338/.522. The 32-year-old is a free agent at the end of the year. Ziehl is the Yankees' No. 18 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old, who's pitched in Double-A this season, joins a White Sox system that could use more arms. Adding Slater in the offseason and flipping him for Ziehl at the deadline is exactly the type of move rebuilding clubs need to make.

Blue Jays address bullpen with Domínguez

The Blue Jays only had to look across the field for bullpen help this deadline. Toronto acquired Seranthony Domínguez from the Orioles at the halfway point of a doubleheader in Baltimore. The right-hander is exactly what the club needs: a hard-throwing reliever who misses bats and can pitch in high-leverage moments. Domínguez, who is on an expiring deal, ranks 92nd percentile in strikeout percentage, 94th in fastball velocity, and 95th in whiff rate, per Baseball Savant. Walks are a bit of a concern - Domínguez owns a career-worst 5.2 BB/9 this season - but the trade-off is that he doesn't allow hard contact and has only surrendered four home runs in 41 2/3 innings. He'll likely slot in as setup behind closer Jeff Hoffman. This is a good start for Toronto, but the club needs to add at least one more bullpen arm.

Domínguez joins Gregory Soto as the second bullpen departure for the Orioles going into the deadline. It's clear that Mike Elias is targeting young pitching. Juaron Watts-Brown, 23, was the Blue Jays' No. 10 prospect and is enjoying a solid season in Double-A. He was Toronto's third-round pick in 2023.

Brewers beef up catching, Rays buy and sell

It's never a surprise to see the Rays both buying and selling around the deadline. Moments after Tampa Bay shipped impending free-agent catcher Danny Jansen to Milwaukee for the Brewers' No. 24 prospect, Jadher Areinamo, the Rays acquired catcher Nick Fortes from the Marlins. The Brewers have received underwhelming offensive production from backstops William Contreras (6 HR, .682 OPS) and Eric Haase (2 HR, .646 OPS) this season. Jansen's bat should help, as he's hit 11 home runs with a .703 OPS through 73 games. So much has gone well in Milwaukee this season, but the offense lacks thump, sitting 22nd in slugging and 24th in home runs. Jansen doesn't solve all those problems, but he does give the lineup more power against left-handed pitching. Haase was designated for assignment to make room for Jansen.

Fortes gives Tampa Bay a controllable catcher who's arbitration-eligible through 2028. The 28-year-old is far from an offensive force, hitting two home runs to go with a .637 OPS through 59 games this season. He grades highly defensively, however, ranking in the 75th percentile in both framing and pop time. Although the Rays do many things well, finding a franchise catcher isn't one of those things. The club has used 10 different catchers over the last four seasons and they've combined for just 3.5 fWAR, with none playing more than 149 games for the organization.

Tigers add starting depth in Paddack

Chris Paddack immediately slides into the vacancy in Detroit's rotation left by Reese Olson's season-ending injury. Luckily for the Tigers, Olson was injured before the deadline and they were able to patch the hole. Paddack comes at a relatively low cost, giving Detroit another veteran starter after the team relied heavily on "pitching chaos" down the stretch in 2024. The right-hander's struggled of late, posting a 7.49 ERA over his last eight starts. He is, however, coming off a strong last outing at Dodger Stadium in which he allowed one run over six innings while striking out eight. Minnesota saved close to $4 million on the deal when factoring in Randy Dobnak's contract and also added Detroit's No. 14 prospect.

Royals become surprise buyers with Grichuk trade

The Royals made a commitment to field a winning club after signing Bobby Witt Jr. to a long-term extension, and sitting 4.5 games out of a playoff spot, they're clearly not ready to wave the white flag. Acquiring Randal Grichuk isn't an all-in move, but he'll be a welcome addition to an outfield devoid of power - his career .825 OPS against left-handed pitching should boost the offense. The trade for Grichuk was quickly followed by an extension for Seth Lugo. The right-hander was believed to be one of the better starting pitchers on the trade market, but Kansas City clearly saw more value in keeping him. Meanwhile, Andrew Hoffmann and Brandyn Garcia (acquired in the Josh Naylor trade) give the Diamondbacks two relievers who have already pitched in the majors.

Yankees solidify 3B with McMahon

The Yankees landed a third baseman from the NL West; it just wasn't the one many fans were hoping for. Ryan McMahon isn't the same kind of impact bat as Eugenio Suárez, but he's arguably a better fit for New York. The club's been abysmal defensively, and McMahon brings a strong glove at the hot corner and is under team control through 2027 (owed $16 million in each of the next two seasons). McMahon also adds plenty of pop (16 home runs), but it comes with a lot of strikeouts (32 K%). While his career numbers away from Coors Field (.589 road OPS) will raise some eyebrows, he hits the ball hard and draws walks, so his production should even out. Considering the limited market for quality third basemen, the Yankees did fine to add McMahon, even if his salary is high compared to his overall value. The two prospects general manager Brian Cashman traded for him haven't pitched above A-ball.

Rosario joins Yankees as bench depth

Amed Rosario is another floor-raiser for the Yankees, who continue to get limited production from their young infielders. The No. 5 prospect in baseball in 2017, Rosario never developed into a star. However, the 29-year-old is a serviceable vet who's played second base, third base, shortstop, and right field over the last two seasons while posting an .816 OPS against left-handed pitching. Rosario isn't a great defender, but he seldom strikes out. He brings plenty of value in a utility bench role. Clayton Beeter is an intriguing relief arm for the Nationals. The 26-year-old owns a 14.6 K/9 over 24 2/3 innings in the minors this season.

Mets bring in Soto as lefty help in 'pen

Gregory Soto's on the move for a second straight trade deadline. The two-time All-Star remains an effective reliever, boasting strong strikeout numbers (10.8 K/9) though he can struggle with his command at times (4.3 BB/9). The Mets needed another southpaw reliever, and Soto was especially tough on left-handed hitters for the Orioles this season, holding them to a .133/.264/.267 slash line in 72 plate appearances. While Wellington Aracena hasn't pitched above A-ball, Cameron Foster could potentially feature in Baltimore's bullpen down the stretch. He put up strong numbers in Double-A this season, albeit at 26 years old.

Mariners add impact bat in Naylor trade

There were few more perfect fits this deadline than Josh Naylor landing in Seattle, where first base has been a significant hole for much of the season. Not only does Naylor give the Mariners a power bat, but he doesn't strike out - and that's been a major problem for their offense in recent years. A middle of the order with Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, Naylor, and Randy Arozarena is pretty imposing. For Arizona, trading Naylor is the first step in what's expected to be a sell-off leading into the trade deadline. Expect the D-Backs to ship out anyone on an expiring deal in an attempt to retool heading into 2026.