5 Best Deadline Deals That Didn’t Get Enough Love
As the dust settles from a jam-packed MLB trade deadline, we analyze a few deals that seemed to fly under the radar this year.
Throughout modern MLB history, the trade deadline has served as a critical point for teams across the league.
Divisional frontrunners and their closest competition scan the league looking to bolster their rosters for the postseason. Meanwhile, those who have fallen out of contention trade away their best performers in hopes of building a better future.
However, in recent years the deadline’s impact has felt somewhat diminished. There are likely a number of factors that have influenced this trend.
For one, the expansion of the postseason format in 2022 opened up two extra postseason spots. This has increased the amount of teams looking to add at the deadline, which has simultaneously shifted the market in favor of the sellers.
With more teams competing for fewer available trade candidates, prices have skyrocketed. This effect has been exacerbated for pitchers in particular, as injuries around the league have put many contending teams in more desperate positions.
All of this has combined to make it feel as if the deadline has become less eventful in recent years. Since the 2022 blockbuster trade that sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres, few high-magnitude deadline trades have followed.
That was, until this year.
This year’s trade deadline saw a flurry of high-profile trades occur in the eleventh hour. The aforementioned Padres acquired flamethrower Mason Miller in exchange for several top prospects.
On the offensive side of things, the Houston Astros reunited with Carlos Correa while slotting him in at third base, and the Mariners lengthened their lineup with the addition of third baseman Eugenio Suárez.
Miller wasn’t the only closer to ship out at the deadline. The Philadelphia Phillies acquired Jhoan Durán from the Minnesota Twins, and the New York Mets shored up their bullpen by acquiring Ryan Helsley.
Simply put, this year’s deadline was bonkers. Due to the chaos of the 48 hours leading up to the deadline, several trades occurred that may have been overlooked at the time.
The deals for players like Miller, Correa, and Suárez have received plenty of attention. Today, we examine five trades that deserve a bit more time under the spotlight than they were originally given.
All stats taken before play on August 10th.
5. Charlie Morton
Trade Details:
- Detroit Tigers receive: RHP Charlie Morton
- Baltimore Orioles receive: LHP Micah Ashman
First up on our list is the Tigers’ deal to acquire Charlie Morton from the Orioles. In return for his services, the Tigers sent left-handed pitcher Micah Ashman to Baltimore.
Ashman was an 11th round pick in 2024, and was unranked in the Tigers farm system at the time of the trade. The 22-year old has spent the bulk of the year in High-A and owns a 1.97 ERA on the year with 55 strikeouts in 45.2 innings.
Given the unpredictability of prospects and Ashman’s draft pedigree, the cost for the Tigers to acquire Morton was rather low. At the time of the trade, Morton owned a 5.42 ERA with 101 strikeouts over 101.1 innings.
However, while Morton’s season has certainly had its ups and downs, the trade is worth noting for several reasons.
For one, very few starting pitchers were moved at this year’s deadline. Given the need for starting pitching on several contending teams, it is significant that the Tigers were able to trade for Morton without giving up much in return.
Additionally, his overall stats do not paint a complete picture. Morton is now in his age-41 season and has seemingly lost a step or two. That said, he has consistently improved his standing as the season has gone on.
At the end of April, Morton owned a 9.45 ERA through 26.2 innings. But, after posting a 3.98 ERA in May and 2.88 ERA in June, this number improved to 5.63. Despite the overall numbers, these flashes of production are hopeful signs.
The Tigers badly needed starting pitching. While he may not be an ace-caliber starter, Morton can help stabilize the rotation behind Tarik Skubal as the Tigers look to maintain their division lead over the Cleveland Guardians.
4. Griffin Jax
Trade Details:
- Tampa Bay Rays receive: RHP Griffin Jax
- Minnesota Twins receive: RHP Taj Bradley
In the midst of the Twins’ fire sale at the deadline, it was reported that Griffin Jax requested a trade from the team. The Twins were able to land a deal with the Rays to send Jax to Tampa Bay in exchange for right-handed starter Taj Bradley.
Bradley was originally a 5th round pick by the Rays in 2018. Over the next few years, Bradley ascended the prospect rankings to become Tampa Bay’s top prospect in 2023.
Bradley’s performance at the major league level has been a mixed bag thus far. That said, he remains an intriguing player who has shown flashes of promise in his limited MLB tenure. Bradley will not hit free agency until 2030, which gives the Twins several years of team control.
For a Rays team known for their top-rate pitching development, Jax stands to become a significant asset at the back of their bullpen. He posted a 3.06 ERA over 208 appearances from 2022 to 2024, with 241 strikeouts in 208.2 innings.
This includes a 2024 season that saw Jax work to a 2.03 ERA over 71 innings with a 207 ERA+ and 1.94 FIP. He also notched 95 strikeouts while walking just 15 batters in the process.
Jax has taken a bit of a step back so far this year, owning a 4.93 ERA over 54 appearances and 49.1 innings. However, his underlying metrics show that his potential for dominance is still very much alive.
He currently owns a 39.2% chase percentage (100th percentile), 37.3% whiff percentage (98th percentile), and 35.2% strikeout percentage (98th percentile).
Jax’s four-seam fastball has gotten shelled this year. He has allowed a .371 batting average and .714 slugging percentage against the offering. If the Rays can help him utilize this pitch more effectively, Jax could become a major factor in the final stretch of the year.
3. Tyler Rogers
Trade Details:
- New York Mets receive: RHP Tyler Rogers
- San Francisco Giants receive: RHP Blade Tidwell (NYM No. 10), OF Drew Gilbert (NYM No. 12), RHP José Buttó
The trade for Tyler Rogers received significant attention initially, but not all of it seemed positive for the Mets. Many lauded the move as an “overpay” for New York, given the players they parted with in return.
Blade Tidwell and Drew Gilbert have shown promise throughout their time in the minor leagues. Both are just 24 years old, and could make a sizable impact at the major league level for the Giants.
Trading two top prospects with six years of control apiece and an MLB pitcher for a rental reliever may appear to be a miscalculation at first glance. However, the truth is not so simple.
The Mets have maintained a stacked farm system with a wealth of young talent ascending prospect ranking boards. This has resulted in a logjam at the major league level, making it difficult for Tidwell and Gilbert to push through.
On the other side of the trade, Rogers is more than a run-of-the-mill reliever. In fact, he has been one of the league’s best for a number of years now.
Over seven seasons in MLB, Rogers has posted a 2.78 ERA over 401.2 innings. This is largely due to Rogers’ unorthodox delivery and pitching profile, as he releases the ball just inches from the ground.
Rogers has never been known for having strikeout stuff. However, he is incredibly effective at preventing hard contact (97th percentile hard-hit percentage) and inducing ground balls (99th percentile).
Paired with the Mets’ other deadline acquisition, Ryan Helsley, and longtime closer Edwin Díaz, Rogers rounds out an incredibly formidable trio at the bottom of the Mets’ bullpen.
2. Merrill Kelly
Trade Details:
- Texas Rangers receive: RHP Merrill Kelly
- Arizona Diamondbacks receive: LHP Kohl Drake (TEX No. 5), LHP Mitch Bratt (TEX No. 9), RHP David Hagaman (TEX No. 13)
Merrill Kelly was another one of the few starters moved at the deadline, and likely the best among them. In return, the Diamondbacks received a trio of pitching prospects from the Rangers.
The two lefty starters, Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt, could see big league action sometime in the next few years. Both will need to be added to Arizona’s 40-man roster in the offseason to avoid the Rule-5 draft.
As for right-handed pitcher David Hagaman, it will likely take some time for him to enter the call-up conversation. Hagaman is still in the process of returning from Tommy John surgery, and has just nine professional appearances under his belt so far.
All three pitchers have been developed primarily as starters, but each carries some reliever risk with them. Regardless, their talent and potential make this a very solid return for the Diamondbacks.
The Rangers have plenty to be happy about in return. Kelly slots in behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi to form a formidable trio at the top of their rotation.
Kelly has quietly been one of the more consistent arms in baseball over the past few seasons. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, Kelly has pitched 150 or more innings in every season of his career except for last year.
In 2024, Kelly took a bit of a step back, as injuries prevented him from maintaining his usual workload. However, Kelly has bounced back in a big way in 2025, and was arguably the Diamondbacks’ best starter going into the deadline.
Through 128.2 innings in Arizona this year, Kelly recorded a 3.22 ERA while striking out 121 batters over 22 starts. His 134 ERA+ mark during that span would stand as the best mark of his career over a full season.
Kelly’s first two starts with the Rangers have not gone particularly well. But, if Kelly can return to form, the Rangers pitching staff can be a force to be reckoned with in a hypothetical postseason run.
1. Josh Naylor
Trade Details:
- Seattle Mariners receive: 1B Josh Naylor
- Arizona Diamondbacks receive: LHP Brandyn Garcia (SEA No. 13), RHP Ashton Izzi (SEA No.16)
Among the trades that we felt did not receive enough attention at the deadline, this one certainly ranked the highest for me. While there was certainly discourse surrounding the deal, the magnitude of the deal did not feel properly explored.
Since 2022, Josh Naylor ranks seventh in wRC+ (122) among first basemen who have accrued 2000 or more plate appearances. Though he is set to become a free agent after this year, his addition is massive for the Mariners.
Even more significant is the fact that they acquired him without giving up much in return. Brandyn Garcia and Ashton Izzi have plenty of potential. However, neither was set to make a significant impact for the Mariners any time soon.
Izzi in particular has struggled in High-A this year, posting a 5.04 ERA over 55.1 innings. Garcia also seemingly has some work to do in the minors, and has split time as a starter and reliever. He has yet to start a game in 2025.
The Mariners already boasted one of the league’s best lineups by wRC+ this year. To add one of the league’s best first basemen without giving up a top prospect in return seems to be an incredible deal for Seattle.
This trade also serves as an adrenaline shot for a Mariners team looking to oust the Astros from their spot atop the AL West division. They currently stand just one game back, with the Rangers five and a half games behind them.
Naylor has often been regarded as a gritty, high-energy player and a sparkplug for his team. He is relatively consistent at the plate, hits for contact, and does not strike out often.
Incredibly, Naylor has also managed to steal 22 bases this year (because why not?), including a 10-game stretch in which he stole 11 bases. This stretch alone would surpass his season-high of 10 stolen bags set in 2023.
The additions of both Naylor and Suárez position the Mariners with one of the best lineups in MLB. The Seattle hopeful will count on them to help lead the charge as the Mariners seek to return to the postseason.
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