PHILADELPHIA— With July coming to a close, so has the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline.
While instant reactions to the deadline can often age poorly, there is a consensus about how each team performed this season. Many clubs were looking to go all-in on their quest to win the World Series. Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and many others were all looking to cash in for big-time players.
Organizations like the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, and many more were on the other side. Looking to rebuild their farm systems, these teams entered the end of July with efforts to try to build for the future.
Staying in the National League East, the Phillies and Mets headline the division in 2025. They were both clear buyers this year, while the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, and Washington Nationals were definite sellers.
Here is how I would grade and classify each NL East team’s trade deadline.
Trade Deadline Review
New York Mets (Winner)
The New York Mets now rival the San Diego Padres for the best bullpen in baseball.
Adding Gregory Soto (Orioles), Ryan Helsley (Cardinals), and Tyler Rogers (Giants) to join Edwin Diaz late in games was a game-changer for New York. A team with a weaker rotation will now rely on its top arms to carry the load. A bonus for the Mets is that the Phillies, their direct competition in the division, struggle greatly against Rogers. The submarine pitcher has had much success against the team during his time with the Giants. While this wasn’t the driving force in the deal, it is another feather in their cap.
The Mets also upgraded in center field by adding Cedric Mullins (Orioles). Mullins’ offense is borderline average in terms of major league baseball standards, but his gold glove caliber defense is what New York was looking for. A switch-hitter allows manager Carlos Mendoza to utilize him against both righty and lefty pitchers, and new surroundings could help boost Mullins’ offensive production.
Grade: A-
Atlanta Braves (Loser)
Nobody foresaw the Atlanta Braves struggling this greatly heading into the 2025 season. Regardless, the team could have used this down season to try and spin expiring contracts for prospects. Instead, Atlanta bought lower-tier players to add to their roster.
Adding Tyler Kinley (Rockies), Carlos Carrasco (Yankees), and Erick Fedde (Cardinals) would have been more acceptable if the club traded away big league talent. Instead, they held on to expiring deals such as Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias, who could have netted them a decent return. Now, these players will finish out their contracts in a Braves uniform as they will ultimately walk into free agency this winter.
This trade deadline could have been a chance for the Braves to look ahead to 2026 and beyond. Instead, they continue to punt on 2025 and will have to figure out how to get back in the race this off-season.
Grade: D
Miami Marlins (Winner)
Opposite of the Braves, nobody saw the Miami Marlins as a .500 team heading into this season. Miami has put together a fun roster and is starting to win ballgames at a strong clip. While they are unlikely to push for the Wild Card, they will be a challenge for teams late in the year.
The team decided to hold onto Sandy Alcantara until at least the off-season. This was a smart move as he rebuilds his value. Alcantara was rumored to be a target for the Yankees, Red Sox, Astros, and several others. Likely, Miami felt the return packages they were offered were not deserving of what Alcantara truly can be as a pitcher. As he moves further away from his Tommy John surgery recovery, they hope he can return to form. That should, in theory, help them land a bigger package moving forward. Or, the Marlins can hang onto their ace as they build towards the future.
Miami also flipped catcher Nick Fortes to Tampa Bay for Matthew Etzel. Etzel is a quality return and will give them additional outfield depth. Outfielder Jesus Sanchez was then traded to the Astros for three prospects, reloading the system even further.
Miami holds the cards as they keep together a growing core of players this season.
Grade: B-
Washington Nationals (Winner)
In typical Washington Nationals fashion, the club became sellers once again at the trade deadline.
They parted ways with Kyle Finnegan (Tigers), Michael Soroka (Cubs), Alex Call (Dodgers), Andrew Chafin (Angels), Luis Garcia (Angels), and Amed Rosario (Yankees). These moves overhauled a good portion of their major league roster, but they capitalized on expiring contracts.
In return, they earned back 10 prospects to load into their system. While the Nationals did not get a top prospect at the deadline, they added quality depth. They sold the right players and gained value for expiring deals.
A player they did not trade was Mackenzie Gore. The Nationals’ ace was rumored to have drawn interest from the Cubs and Astros this year, but Washington held on. This was a smart move, keeping a young arm who has elite strikeout production. Gore was not going to fetch them an offer they could not refuse, so the Nationals wisely held on.
Grade: B-
Philadelphia Phillies (Winner)
Heading into the trade deadline, the Phillies needed to upgrade their outfield and their bullpen. They accomplished both of their goals, while leaving a little meat on the bone. Adding Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins while keeping their top three prospects was a massive win. Duran was the best reliever moved and will give the Phillies an anchor in the bullpen.
They also added Harrison Bader to upgrade a poor outfielder. The team refused to overpay for alternative options and settled on a cheap deal for a quality player. Rumors circulated that the team was interested in Steven Kwan (Guardians) and Luis Robert Jr. (White Sox), but both players stayed with their respective teams. That tells you the asking price was too high for contending teams, or else someone would have leaped.
The Phillies addressed their needs, retained their top prospects, and have given themselves a chance to take another run for ultimate glory.
Grade: B+
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
