MLB Trade Deadline: Winners and losers

The MLB trade deadline is a crucial part of every season as contenders stock up for a postseason run.

This season, there were plenty of moves in the few days prior to the deadline that shook up the league.

Several teams came out much stronger than before and some teams immediately appeared to be on the losing end of the trade. Let’s go through some of the winners and losers from the trade deadline this year.

MLB Trade Deadline Winners

Miami Marlins

It was a seller’s market this season and the Marlins became rich with prospects. Miami cleaned house and dealt anybody that had any sort of value at the deadline.

That included sending the star of the franchise, Jazz Chisholm Jr., to the Yankees. In return, Miami got New York’s #19 and #20 prospects, but the selling didn’t stop there.

The Marlins also shipped out Bryan De La Cruz to the Pirates, Trevor Rogers to the Orioles, Josh Bell and A.J. Puk to the Diamondbacks, Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoenig to the Padres, and JT Chargois to the Mariners.

In return, the Marlins got 15 players and cash. Nine of those players are now ranked inside Miami’s top 30 prospects, including Deyvison De Los Santos from Arizona and Connor Norby from Baltimore.

The Marlins made the most out of their terrible 2024 campaign and put themselves in a good spot to succeed in the future.

St. Louis Cardinals

The NL Central is anybody’s game right now and the Cardinals were hoping to use the deadline as an opportunity to make a run at first place.

There were three main needs for St. Louis at the deadline: a cheap starting pitcher, an outfielder, and another reliever. The Cardinals plugged those holes by acquiring Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham from the White Sox and Shawn Armstrong from the Rays.

Fedde has had an incredible season after being signed without much thought that he could be a front-end starter and the best news is that he’s still signed through next season.

In the outfield, the Cardinals shipped Dylan Carlson and Tommy Edman away to make room for the veteran Pham. And in the bullpen, Armstrong will bring life to an extremely overused bullpen.

St. Louis fixed their issues with just a few simple and cheap moves.

Philadelphia Phillies

What could the best team in the National League possibly need at the deadline? More than you might think actually.

The one flaw in Philadelphia’s armor has been their bullpen. Matt Strahm and Jeff Hoffman have been fabulous, but the rest of the bullpen has been extremely inconsistent - especially their closer Jose Alvarado.

Philadelphia also shipped away two relievers that have given them plenty of trouble this season: Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez.

To replace them, the Phillies traded for the White Sox’s best reliever, Tanner Banks, and made a huge move to acquire the Angels’ closer, Carlos Estevez.

The bullpen improved dramatically with the loss of Soto and Dominguez and the additions of Banks and Estevez.

Plus, the Phillies needed a right-handed bat. Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, and Brandon Marsh are all great, but all lefties.

Philadelphia made the move to acquire Austin Hays from Baltimore for another right-handed bat in the outfield and the Phillies are ready for another postseason run.

MLB Trade Deadline Losers

Chicago White Sox

What a disaster of a trade deadline for the White Sox. Chicago had some of the best trade chips available and they didn’t even move them in the end.

Garrett Crochet had been the talk of the deadline since it appeared he was almost guaranteed to be moved, but Chicago’s asking price for Crochet was reportedly over the moon.

Plus, Crochet hurt his trade chances by stating he won’t pitch in the playoffs unless he gets an extension. If traded, the White Sox would have gotten several elite prospects that could have shaped the future of the franchise.

Instead, they kept Crochet and Luis Robert on the worst team in baseball and received nothing. However, they did move Eloy Jimenez to the Orioles, but all they got in return was one Minor League pitcher.

This deadline was Chicago’s chance to change the course of the franchise.

Houston Astros

The Astros made only two moves at the deadline and yet, they might have had the worst week of any team.

It was obvious that Houston was in the market for a starting pitcher and they were linked to Jack Flaherty and Tarik Skubal, but they ended up acquiring Yusei Kikuchi from the Blue Jays.

It wasn’t a great move, especially since Kikuchi was 0-4 with a 7.75 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP in his last 8 starts. But what makes it even worse is that Houston shipped away Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido, and Will Wagner.

It was an unbelievable haul for the Blue Jays who received several elite prospects for the lefty.

Bloss will become Toronto’s #3 prospect and Loperfido was Houston’s #6 prospect entering the 2024 season and all for a lefty that has been struggling recently?

Houston’s only other move was acquiring reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Yankees for a Minor League pitcher and cash considerations. All in all, it was a terrible deadline for the Astros.