The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 MLB trade deadline
As Major League Baseball’s trade deadline approaches at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, here’s where we will track each notable move. We previously dissected the mid-June trade of Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. Click the links for recent trades below to find further context and grades for each side.
July 30: The all-in Mariners land the big bat they coveted in Eugenio Suárez
Grade excerpt: “He’ll give the Mariners a middle of the order with two potential 50-homer players. That’ll help them reach the postseason, and having a 100-dinger tandem isn’t a bad strategy to have when they get there.”
Mariners: A
Diamondbacks: C
— Grant Brisbee
Grade excerpt: “Locklear is well-liked but ultimately a right-handed first baseman dependent on power. Arizona could be a good fit to get him at-bats. Burgos and Cranton should develop into big-league relievers, but it’s hard to say what kind of ceiling either have.”
Mariners: A
Diamondbacks: B
— Cody Stavenhagen
Grade excerpt: “It signals to everyone that they intend to do everything they can to win a championship. In a season of parity and mediocre first-place teams, the Mariners are trying to set themselves apart.”
Mariners: A
Diamondbacks: A-
— Sam Blum
July 30: In acquiring Zack Littell, Reds to bolster bullpen from within as Rays flip prospect to Dodgers
Grade excerpt: “Nick Krall, the Reds’ president of baseball operations, understands the value of a reliable, mid-rotation stabilizer who keeps you in games and (generally) preserves the bullpen. That’s what he got last off-season when he traded with Kansas City for Brady Singer, and it’s what he’s getting now in Littell, a 29-year-old free agent-to-be.”
Rays: B+
Reds: A-
Dodgers: B
— Tyler Kepner
July 30: In first move to bolster rotation, Cubs add Michael Soroka from Nationals
Grade excerpt: “Soroka adds some depth, provides versatility and offers the potential for upside to the Cubs, who are expected to remain in the market for a front-line starter … This was not the starter Cubs fans were seeking. The Cubs can’t stop here. But it is a start.”
Cubs: B-
Nationals: B+
— Andy McCullough
July 30: Mets continue bullpen revamp, add Ryan Helsley from Cardinals
Grade excerpt: “Helsley’s past looks brighter than his future. He has become far more prone to hits and home runs in 2025, as his fastball has been getting punished. But since Helsley is a rental, the Mets only need to worry about properly deploying him during these next few months. Some other club can ponder his long-term prospects when he reaches free agency in November.”
Mets: B
Cardinals: B
— Andy McCullough
Grade excerpt: “Helsley is a touch below his peak. But with all reliever deals, you have to ask: Is he better than the last guy in the bullpen? As long as the answer is yes, it’s an upgrade. And with Helsley, the answer is an easy yes.”
Mets: A-
Cardinals: B-
— Tyler Kepner
July 30: Phillies find what they need in Jhoan Duran, Twins ‘win,’ too
Grade excerpt: “It’s an easy trade to like for both sides. The Phillies acquired possibly the best reliever on the market, and didn’t have to part with their best prospects. The Twins managed to get a big-league-ready pitcher with a decent floor and a catcher with potential. I guess the price was right.”
Phillies: A
Twins: B
— Andy McCullough
Grade excerpt: “This trade is what you’re supposed to do when you’re a team like the Phillies. It’s also what you’re supposed to do when you’re a team like the Twins. Pick a lane. Then do what you can to maximize that chosen path forward.”
Phillies: A
Twins: A-
— Chad Jennings
Grade excerpt: “It’s clear that the Phillies really wanted Duran, who instantly becomes the best arm in their suspect bullpen. With triple-digit heat and a dastardly sprinkler, Duran has allowed just one home run this season, to go with a 2.01 ERA. Opponents have a .553 OPS against him. That’ll work.”
Phillies: B+
Twins: A
— Tyler Kepner
July 30: Mariners add lefty bullpen help they need in Caleb Ferguson deal with Pirates
Grade excerpt: “Seattle needed another left-handed reliever, and Ferguson throws with his left hand, so, yeah, sure, why not?”
Mariners: B
Pirates: B-
— Andy McCullough
July 30: Mets add Tyler Rogers, right-handed specialist, to bullpen in trade with Giants
Grade excerpt: “(Rogers) is good, has been good for years and now he’s on a team with serious postseason dreams. What’s not to love about that combination?”
Giants: B+
Mets: A
— Grant Brisbee
Grade excerpt: “To get three players who will likely reach the majors in exchange for a couple months of a reliever is solid work by Giants head honcho Buster Posey. For (Mets president of baseball operations David) Stearns, it’s the cost of trying to win a World Series.”
Giants: A
Mets: A
— Andy McCullough
July 30: With Ke’Bryan Hayes add, Reds bank on the glove and hope for the bat
Grade excerpt: “The Reds had a clear need when it came to offense … but does Ke’Bryan Hayes solve that problem?
This year, Cincinnati has been the fourth-worst offense against left-handed pitching. They’ve been open to moving third baseman Noelvi Marte to the outfield, and they went and got a cheap right-handed third baseman that’s a great defender and under team control for another four-plus seasons after this one.”
Reds: C+
Pirates: B+
— Eno Sarris
Grade excerpt: “It will not be difficult for the Pirates to find a third baseman this offseason — whether via trade or free agency — who can provide more offensive value than Hayes. But the glove is irreplaceable. This move immediately makes the Reds deeper and provides the potential for huge upside if they can unlock Hayes’ bat, and it didn’t cost them any of their best prospects.”
Reds: B+
Pirates: B-
— Stephen J. Nesbitt
July 30: Angels officially buyers, add relievers Andrew Chafin, Luis Garcia from Nats
Grade excerpt: “Both Chafin (minor-league deal) and Garcia (waiver claim) cost the Nats almost nothing and were on expiring contracts. To turn those into two players to take a flier on, including a pitcher who has a handful of big-league appearances, is a solid low-risk return. The Angels’ bullpen does get better, and it doesn’t cost much; it’s just a bit of a bewildering move overall for an organization that could have sold off some of its pieces and rebuilt for 2026.”
Angels: C+
Nationals: A-
— Brittany Ghiroli
July 30: Yankees add another righty bat, landing Austin Slater in trade with White Sox
Grade excerpt: “Slater profiles as a platoon corner outfielder, a right-handed hitter who does damage against lefties. That’s a commodity for the Yankees; while Aaron Judge is injured, they have a lefty-loaded outfield comprising Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger and Jasson Domínguez.”
Yankees: A-
White Sox: A-
— Stephen J. Nesbitt
July 29: Blue Jays acquire Seranthony Domínguez to bolster beleaguered bullpen
Grade excerpt: “Domínguez, who was also traded ahead of last year’s deadline, is a nice add for a Blue Jays bullpen that has been leaking oil in recent weeks. Though Toronto’s pen ranks No. 17 in the league in ERA overall, it ranks No. 26 since the All-Star break.”
Blue Jays: B+
Orioles: A-
— Zack Meisel
July 28: Brewers add catching help, pick up Danny Jansen from Rays
Grade excerpt: “If you told the Brewers they’d be right near the top of the National League the week of the trade deadline, you wouldn’t think they’d even consider adding a catcher. But William Contreras, a centerpiece of the Milwaukee lineup in recent years, has had a down season and is working through a fracture in his hand. While the rest of the Brewers’ lineup has surged in July, Contreras’ OPS is under .600 this month. His backup, Eric Haase, has an OPS just north of .500 this month.”
Brewers: B
Rays: C
— Tim Britton
July 28: Tigers secure a fifth starter in acquiring Chris Paddack from Twins
Grade excerpt: “I see no reason to love or hate this move for either side. The Tigers get a guy who will cover innings and give them another option down the stretch. Would they feel great giving Paddack the ball in the postseason? Not great, no, but he’s been there before. And that’s a nervous feeling that, in theory, the Tigers will address with a couple more trades this week. The Twins, meanwhile, get an undersized switch-hitting catching prospect who has a clearer path toward big league playing time in Minnesota than he did in the Tigers organization.”
Tigers: B
Twins: B+
– Stephen J. Nesbitt
July 26: Yankees bolster depth by adding Amed Rosario from Nationals
Grade excerpt: “The Yankees are in free fall, and are simply trying to make the postseason at this point. It’s going to take a patchwork effort to make that happen, and that’s exactly what Rosario represents. He’s not a big piece of the puzzle, but he can help offensively.”
Yankees: B+
Nationals: A-
— Sam Blum
July 26: Royals acquire Randal Grichuk from Diamondbacks to boost outfield
Grade excerpt: “Grichuk represents a nice addition for a contending team. He’s always hit lefties well and provides a strong veteran presence. The question is whether the Royals are real contenders. The stakes of this particular trade are low. But it telegraphs Kansas City as buyers when the team might not be in a great position to make a postseason run.”
Royals: C+
Diamondbacks: B-
— Sam Blum
July 25: Yankees acquire Ryan McMahon from Rockies, fill key need at third base
Grade excerpt: “McMahon is an excellent defender who will improve a Yankees club plagued by fielding lapses in recent weeks. (Or, years, depending on your perspective.) McMahon is a weaker hitter than impending free agent Eugenio Suárez, the other top third baseman on the market, but he affords some stability at the position beyond this year.”
Rockies: B
Yankees: B+
— Andy McCullough
July 25: Mets address bullpen need by acquiring lefty Gregory Soto from Orioles
Grade excerpt: “Soto is more on the specialist side of the left-handed spectrum, so he’s not going to help prevent José Buttó or Ryne Stanek from getting overworked, and he’s not likely to absorb too many full innings as a bridge to the late-inning crew. It’ll be more common for him to get pushed out of a plane with a parachute and orders to get Kyle Schwarber out with the bases loaded. Godspeed, southpaw.”
Mets: B-
Orioles: A
— Grant Brisbee
July 24: In Josh Naylor, Mariners acquire slugger they’ve been missing
Grade excerpt: “Naylor represents a significant upgrade. He’s one of the hardest regulars in the sport to strike out; the Mariners have been a bottom-five team in strikeouts the past three seasons. It’s a nice match. And while Naylor’s barrel rate has lagged this season, he’s still showing plenty of power and is a constant force against righties.”
Mariners: A-
Diamondbacks: B-
— Stephen J. Nesbitt
(Top photo of Jhoan Duran: Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
