MLB Trade Deadline 2023: Live Grades for All the Biggest Trades

When the clock struck 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Major League Baseball's trade deadline passed, and a whole bunch of familiar faces ended up in a whole bunch of unfamiliar places.

Our (admittedly biased) recommendation is to check out our live grades for every significant trade that came down the pipeline.

Whether teams exchanged fair value is naturally a major consideration, though we also considered more existential questions. Is a team making a given trade at the right time? And do they have the right idea about a given player or players?

Using the Los Angeles Angels' splash on Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López as a starting point, we'll keep things arranged in chronological order from newest to oldest.

All prospect ranks are according to MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Los Angeles Dodgers get LHP Ryan Yarbrough; Kansas City Royals get INF Devin Mann and INF Derlin Figueroa

For the Dodgers: C

A trade for Yarbrough doesn't seem to be what the Dodgers had in mind for deadline day. They had been connected to Justin Verlander and they actually agreed to a trade for Eduardo Rodriguez, only to come away with neither.

Still, this trade has "solid pickup" energy. You can always count on Yarbrough to not issue free passes and to stifle hard contact. These skills have recently treated him well as he's posted a 3.08 ERA in seven starts since April 26, albeit with a stint on the IL resulting from a scary injury having kept him out for two months until his return on July 9.

For the Royals: B

Yarbrough was something of a reclamation project when the Royals signed him to a $3 million deal in December 2022. Cut to now, and them having turned him into a couple of prospects signals success for the project.

Mann had been the Dodgers' No. 29 prospect, so he's the prize in this trade for the Royals. And he would seem to be ready to make an impact, as he's thus far spent 2023 putting up a .307 average in 89 games at the Triple-A level.

Date: August 1

The Trade: San Diego Padres get RHP Scott Barlow; Kansas City Royals get RHP Henry Williams, RHP Jesus Rios

For the Padres: B

The idea going forward for the Padres seems to be to get their 52-55 record more closely in line with their 60-47 Pythagorean record. Upgrading a bullpen that's been less than reliable was a good idea, and in this deal they've scored a guy who should be a good helper.

Yes, Barlow does have a 5.35 ERA overall and an 8.04 ERA since June 10. But he's also a guy who posted sub-3.00 ERAs in 2021 and 2022, and his strikeout rate is higher this year than it was in the latter. He'll remain under San Diego's control through next year, at which point he could potentially take over closing duties from Josh Hader.

For the Royals: B

The Royals are getting back a guy who had Tommy John surgery before the 2022 draft, in which he fell to the Padres in the third round. Williams didn't make his pro debut until May 11 this year and has pitched to a 5.74 ERA in 12 starts at Single-A.

He nonetheless ranked as the Padres' No. 10 prospect, with his 6'5", 200-pound frame and above-average fastball and slider giving him upside despite the rocky beginning to his pro career. He's a fair get for a player who's stock had seemingly fallen leading up to the deadline.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Miami Marlins get 1B Josh Bell; Cleveland Guardians get 3B Jean Segura and INF Kahlil Watson

For the Marlins: D

Segura was nothing short of disastrous for the Marlins in the first year of a two-year, $17 million deal, hitting just .219 with three home runs and lousy defense at the hot corner. Simply getting rid of him is addition by subtraction.

Of course, Bell is hitting only .233 and he's all but certain to exercise his $16.5 player option for 2024. The Marlins would thus end up taking on money in this deal, which would be puzzling enough even if they hadn't also sent a former top-100 prospect to Cleveland. The gamble, it seems, is on Bell reverting to his former All-Star and Silver Slugger-winning self.

For the Guardians: B

This trade looks like the Guardians waving the white flag even though they're not totally out of the AL playoff picture, but it nonetheless signals that they're realistic about their actual chances of playing in October.

The Guardians have already released Segura, so the future of this deal is all in Watson's hands. Much will depend on the 20-year-old improving his poor hit tool, but if he does, he stands to become a solid regular with speed and good defense to offer.

Date: August 1

The Trade: New York Yankees get RHP Keynan Middleton; Chicago White Sox get RHP Juan Carela

For the Yankees: C

The Yankees went into deadline day with an extensive wish list, only for their biggest trade to be one that bolsters an existing strength. Their bullpen already led MLB with a 3.10 ERA.

This is not a bad thing in a vacuum, especially knowing that Middleton has been solid in pitching to a 3.96 ERA with 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings. But he's also coming in cold with a 7.80 ERA over his last 16 appearances, which only fuels doubts as to whether he can do much to prop up the Yankees' fading playoff hopes.

For the White Sox: B

It was on a minor league deal in January that the White Sox originally picked up Middleton, so rehabbing him into a rental trade chip who brought back a prospect goes into the books as a success.

For his part, Carela had been the Yankees' No. 29 prospect. The 6'3", 186-pounder has an above-average slider that's been put to good use in a 2023 season wherein he's put up a 3.67 ERA with 109 strikeouts over 83.1 innings at High-A.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Baltimore Orioles get RHP Jack Flaherty; St. Louis Cardinals get INF Cesar Prieto and LHP Drew Rom

For the Orioles: C

The Orioles were connected to some big-name aces ahead of the deadline, including Justin Verlander before he went back to the Astros. That they've ended up with Flaherty isn't nothing, but it is a disappointment.

Though he's stabilized with a 3.58 ERA since May 9, this is not the same Flaherty who earned Cy Young Award votes in 2019. He's notably deteriorated as a whiff specialist, rendering him more of a back-end guy than the top-of-the-rotation type the O's needed. And because they gave up their No. 16 and No. 18 prospects, the Orioles aren't renting him at a discount.

For the Cardinals: B

Even if the Cardinals didn't quite fleece the Orioles in this deal, getting two actual prospects from the best farm system in MLB is far from a bad return for a fallen ace who's two months from free agency.

As he's hit .349 across 85 games at Double-A and Triple-A this year, Prieto has the look of an especially intriguing prospect. Rom has had a rougher time with a 5.34 ERA at Triple-A, albeit with 100 strikeouts in 86 innings.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Arizona Diamondbacks get OF Tommy Pham; New York Mets get SS Jeremy Rodriguez

For the Diamondbacks: A

With the deadline less than 10 minutes from passing, the Diamondbacks struck for another player from our list of the market's hidden gems. Pham hypothetically fits right in as a platoon partner for left-handed-hitting outfielders Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy.

If the Snakes would rather use Pham as a full-timer, so be it. He's had the hot hand for a couple of months at this point, posting a .933 OPS since May 28. Either way, he can only help the D-backs get their playoff push back on track in the last two months of his one-year deal.

For the Mets: C

Even if they had to eat a ton of money to do so, the Mets did well in restocking their farm system through trades of Verlander and Scherzer and also David Robertson. They might have also done so with this trade, but it's nothing special on the surface.

Rodriguez is a mere 17-year-old with 37 professional games under his belt, so he's the very definition of a long-term upside play. It's hard not to wonder if the Mets had to settle for what they could get before the deadline came and went.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Miami Marlins get 3B Jake Burger; Chicago White Sox get LHP Jake Eder

For the Marlins: B

If you run this one through Baseball Trade Values' trade simulator, it registers as too lopsided in favor of the Marlins to be accepted. But that's probably overestimating Burger, even if the Marlins do need what he has to offer.

They rank dead-last in MLB in rWAR at the hot corner and second-to-last in the National League in home runs. Burger, who has 25 homers this year, is thus an immediate fix who'll remain under club control through 2028. Not a bad pickup, even if it did cost the Marlins their No. 4 prospect.

For the White Sox: B

Burger was a solid contributor for the White Sox, but whether he was ever a guy to build around is disputable. We come down on the side of "not really" and are thus satisfied with the Pale Hose flipping him for a 24-year-old lefty with upside.

Eder has put up a solid 3.94 ERA in six starts at Double-A since June 23, the last of which saw him rack up 10 strikeouts. The 6'4", 215-pounder has a plus fastball and slider that, if all else fails, could at least be useful in a relief role.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Milwaukee Brewers get LHP Andrew Chafin; Arizona Diamondbacks get RHP Peter Strzelecki

For the Brewers: A

The Brewers aren't losing much in this deal. Strzelecki made 36 appearances for them this year but was optioned to the minors in late June after posting a 4.54 ERA. He then proceeded to put up a 7.04 ERA in seven appearances at Triple-A.

Coming the other way to Milwaukee is a quality left-handed reliever. Chafin may only have a 4.19 ERA in his own right, but he's whiffed 49 batters in 34.1 innings and has actually been better against righties than lefties. If his late-season audition goes well, the Brewers will have the option of bringing him back for 2024.

For the Diamondbacks: C

This is a weird one for the Diamondbacks, as it's coming on the heels of them upgrading their bullpen via a deal with Seattle for the underrated Paul Sewald. Why would they then subtract Chafin from the equation?

It could be they think Strzelecki can still be the guy who put up a 2.83 ERA with a 10.3 strikeouts-per-nine rate in 30 appearances for the Brewers in 2022. What seems more likely, though, is that this was about saving some money on Chafin's $5.5 million salary.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Philadelphia Phillies get RHP Michael Lorenzen; Detroit Tigers get 2B Hao-Yu Lee

For the Phillies: C

It's never a bad thing to have more starting pitching, but another starter didn't seem to be a pressing need for the Phillies. Their starters lead the National League in rWAR and have put up a 3.71 ERA since the All-Star break.

Another starter is nonetheless what the Phillies have acquired here, and an All-Star, at that. But read into Lorenzen's 3.58 ERA at your peril, as his walk rate is really the only one of his peripheral stats that passes muster. Regression is likely to find him eventually, in which case the Phillies would regret having given up their fifth-ranked prospect.

For the Tigers: B

The Tigers needed more offensive prospects in their system, and they've gotten a good one in Lee. Still only 20 years old, the Taiwan native has hit a solid .280 in 73 career games at the High-A level.

And yet, this also doesn't feel quite like a robbery on account of how Lee wasn't a blue chip even in a relatively weak system. The Tigers might have done better for a pitcher who was easily their most valuable rental.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Houston Astros get RHP Justin Verlander and up to $52.5 Million; New York Mets get OF Drew Gilbert and OF Ryan Clifford

For the Astros: A

The Astros are reuniting with Verlander mere days after fellow three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was traded to the AL West-leading Rangers. It's a "respond in kind" maneuver, though the Astros have our vote for having gotten the better pitcher.

Verlander, who waived his no-trade clause to make this deal happen, took some lumps after coming off the injured list on May 4. He's since looked more like his vintage self in pitching to a 1.49 ERA his last seven times out, allowing just a .178 average in the process.

More of that would make him just what the doctor ordered after the Astros got a 6.65 ERA from Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier in July, and the result may well be Houston winning the division after all.

And per Joel Sherman of New York Post, the Astros will only be on the hook for $40.5 million out of the $93 million Verlander can make through 2025 if his option for that year vests.

For the Mets: A

Mets fans might find this trade harder to swallow than the one that sent Scherzer to Texas. Whereas the Mets offloaded a depreciated asset in that one, in this one they've jettisoned a still-good pitcher signed through 2024.

But if you're going to sell, it's best to sell high.

That's what the Mets have done here to score arguably the top two prospects in Houston's system, including our No. 86 prospect in the person of Gilbert. New York's farm system is probably one of the 10 best in MLB, which would be a nice consolation prize even if the club hadn't also cleared tens of millions of dollars from its books.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Toronto Blue Jays get SS Paul DeJong; St. Louis Cardinals get RHP Matt Svanson

For the Blue Jays: A

This A is coming from two places, starting with how the Blue Jays simply had to do something after star shortstop Bo Bichette left Monday's game with right knee discomfort. They're now covered if he has to miss substantial time.

Otherwise, we had DeJong on our list of hidden-gem trade candidates. He's a well-above-average defender and, judging from his .766 OPS on the road, more comfortable in the batter's box away from Busch Stadium. If that holds true in Toronto, the Blue Jays could end up with one of the steals of the deadline.

For the Cardinals: C

DeJong is not the same guy who peaked with a 30-homer All-Star campaign in 2019. And while he does have $27.5 million worth of club options for 2024 and 2025, the unlikelihood of those being picked up effectively makes him a rental.

Such a low grade nonetheless seems appropriate because of how little the Cardinals got back for him. Svanson was a 13th-round pick in 2021 who was not among Toronto's top 30 prospects. Especially in light of the Blue Jays' apparent desperation following Bichette's injury, it's surprising St. Louis didn't do better.

Date: August 1

The Trade: San Diego Padres get LHP Rich Hill and 1B/DH Ji Man Choi; Pittsburgh Pirates get LHP Jackson Wolf, OF Estuar Suero and 1B Alfonso Rivas

For the Padres: B

The Padres are going for it despite their 52-55 record, though the decision to do so makes more sense when viewed through the lens of their plus-62 run differential. The notion that this team has a run in it has legs.

It's not a game-changer, but said legs are stronger after this trade. Hill can provide innings at the back end of San Diego's rotation until and perhaps after Michael Wacha's shoulder gets healthy, while Choi has shown good power in homering four times in 14 games since he came off the IL on July 7. Both are rentals for the remainder of the year.

For the Pirates: B

Though the Pirates aren't getting the better end of this deal, they deserve props for turning two unspectacular veteran rentals into a package with one legit prospect in it.

That's Wolf, who had ranked as the No. 16 talent in San Diego's system, per MLB.com. He didn't even average 90 mph with his fastball in the lone appearance he made for the Padres, but 6'7", 205-pound southpaws with funky deliveries and two above-average breaking balls will never not be intriguing.

Date: August 1

The Trade: Atlanta gets LHP Brad Hand; Colorado Rockies get RHP Alec Barger

For Atlanta: B

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday that Atlanta was looking for back-end bullpen help, a description Hand would have matched back when he was an annual All-Star between 2017 and 2019. But these days, he's more like a specialist.

He is, however, a useful specialist who's held left-handed batters to a .143 average in 2023. It's doubtful that Atlanta will pick up his $7 million option for 2024, but in the meantime he should get key outs coming out of a pen that currently has only one other left-hander.

For the Rockies: B

There's only so much we can tell you about Barger. He's a 25-year-old righty who Atlanta took in the 17th round back in 2019, and he hadn't featured among the club's top 30 prospects.

Still, it's something that the Rockies were able to spin two months' worth of Hand's services into anything. And Barger's numbers at Double-A hint toward some promise, as he's put up a 3.29 ERA with 48 strikeouts and only two home runs allowed in 30 relief appearances.

Date: July 31

The Trade: Cincinnati Reds get LHP Sam Moll; Oakland Athletics get RHP Joe Boyle

For the Reds: B

No other club has gotten more rWAR from its relievers, so it's fair to say the Reds bullpen is a major reason they're in first place in the NL Central. The innings are piling up, however, and there was a clear need for another left-hander through the season's first four months.

This is where Moll can help. Per his .197 average against lefty batters, he's at least useful in same-side matchups. Yet there's also lots to like under the hood. And even if he is 31 years old, it's a nice bonus that his club control runs through 2027.

For the Athletics: A

As well as the Reds did in this trade, it still feels like the A's got the better end of it. They did, after all, take a 31-year-old reliever with a 4.54 ERA and turn him into a prospect who now ranks as their No. 22 talent.

Granted, Boyle has walked 7.6 batters per nine innings in three minor league seasons. But he's also whiffed 13.9 batters per nine innings, which mostly traces to his 80-grade fastball. If starting doesn't work out, the A's can hope to turn the 6'7", 240-pounder into an overpowering reliever.

Date: July 31

The Trade: Chicago Cubs get 3B Jeimer Candelario and cash; Washington Nationals get SS Kevin Made and LHP DJ Herz

For the Cubs: B

It's remarkable how much can change in just a few days. In this case, the Cubs quickly went from likely sellers to taking Cody Bellinger off the market to shifting into buy mode with this deal for Candelario.

As he's been 28 percent better than the average hitter while playing strong defense, that Candelario is a good get is beyond dispute. The real question is whether the Cubs are the right team to rent him for the rest of the year, but it's hard to say they aren't given they've won 10 out of 13 and their plus-56 run differential is easily the best in the NL Central.

For the Nationals: C

This isn't a low-risk deal for the Cubs. In Made and Herz, they've given up two prospects who had ranked as their No. 14 and No. 16 talents. A small price to pay for a legit contender, perhaps, but this one is 3.5 games off the pace in the NL wild-card race.

At the same time, the Nationals should have done better. Candelario looked like the best rental bat on the summer market, and thus worthy of a top 100 prospect or, at worst, one of a team's 10 best prospects. The Nats' return fits neither bill.

Date: July 31

The Trade: Milwaukee Brewers get OF Mark Canha; New York Mets get RHP Justin Jarvis

For the Brewers: B

The Brewers had already upgraded their offense by acquiring the switch-hitting Carlos Santana, but what they really needed was a potent right-handed bat. Only four teams have gotten less production from the right side than they have.

Enter Canha. He's been 15 percent better than the average hitter for his career, and he's posted a solid .788 OPS since May 31 after getting off to a cool start. He can only help the Brewers reclaim first place in the NL Central between now and the end of the year, after which they'll have the option of bringing him back for 2024.

For the Mets: B

A B for both sides is how you know we're behind the curtain muttering to ourselves, "I dunno, it just seems like a fair trade for both sides."

The Mets may not have turned Canha into a blue-chip prospect, but Jarvis isn't a nobody either. He had ranked as Milwaukee's No. 30 prospect and has since been upgraded to No. 13 in New York's system. Though he's been roughed up since moving to Triple-A, he had previously impressed with a 3.33 ERA and a 3.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio at Double-A.

Date: July 31

The Trade: Arizona Diamondbacks get RHP Paul Sewald; Seattle Mariners get INF Josh Rojas, OF Dominic Canzone and INF Ryan Bliss

For the Diamondbacks: A

If one subscribes to win probability added, then the Diamondbacks bullpen has done more harm than good to the club's chances of winning games. Arizona thus did well to acquire one of the more underrated relievers in the game.

Sewald's sub-3.00 ERAs from this year and 2022 reflect well on him, and his peripheral metrics are even better. He's just plain difficult to hit, with a whiff rate in the 88th percentile and a hard-hit rate in the 98th percentile. He should have a hand in resurrecting the Diamondbacks' fading playoff hopes, and he'll remain under their control through 2024.

For the Mariners: C

When you're giving up a reliever with Sewald's creds, it had better be for a darn good return. As it consists of a spare major league infielder and two prospects who had ranked at No. 19 and No. 29 in Arizona's system, this feels more like an OK return.

Granted, it comes off better when one is looking at Canzone's 1.065 OPS at Triple-A and the 1.008 OPS Bliss put up at Double-A. But since these figures were produced in two of the most hitter friendly parks in the minors, they're best taken with a grain of salt.

Date: July 31

The Trade: Tampa Bay Rays get RHP Aaron Civale; Cleveland Guardians get 1B Kyle Manzardo

For the Rays: A

The Rays gave up a prospect ranked at No. 37 by MLB.com and at No. 49 by B/R's Joel Reuter to make this deal, but it's no great loss. Manzardo is a first baseman all the way, a position the Rays will have covered by Yandy Díaz through at least 2025.

In exchange, the Rays are getting a starter who featured in our list of the market's hidden gems. Civale isn't overpowering, but he has very good command and has been hot with a 2.24 ERA since June 2. He's precisely what the Rays' injury-ravaged rotation needed, and it's a nice bonus that he's also controlled through 2025.

For the Guardians: B

We thought about giving the Guardians an A but stopped short for two reasons: They didn't necessarily fleece the Rays in this deal, and Manzardo has been out of action since July 6 with a shoulder injury.

All the same, this is a trade of an excess arm for a badly needed bat, albeit one that might not be ready to help until 2024. Manzardo showed a plus hit tool in batting .327 in the minors last year. He's now Cleveland's second-best offensive prospect after powerful outfielder George Valera.

Date: July 30

The Trade: Texas Rangers get LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Chris Stratton and international bonus pool money; St. Louis Cardinals get LHP John King, RHP Tekoah Roby and INF Thomas Saggese

For the Rangers: B

He may not be the most accomplished pitcher among the Rangers' new acquisitions, but Montgomery is a good one who was 26 percent better than the average pitcher in 32 starts with St. Louis. He'll fit nicely in a Rangers rotation that will be as deep as they come when Nathan Eovaldi is back from a forearm strain.

Stratton is a versatile, spin-happy reliever who was 8 percent better than average in his own right as a Cardinal. So, even if the Rangers are only renting him and Montgomery for the remainder of the year, they did well to get the two hurlers for a spare left-handed reliever and two non-essential prospects.

For the Cardinals: B

Bs for both sides qualifies this trade as another fair one, though the chances of the Cardinals getting the better end in the long run are a fair bit better than zero.

Roby and Saggese are legit prospects who now rank at No. 4 and No. 6 within St. Louis' system. The latter's upside is plainly evident right now, as he's coming to the Cardinals organization as a .317 hitter over 98 games at the Double-A level dating back to last season.

Date: July 30

The Trade: Los Angeles Angels get OF Randal Grichuk and 1B C.J. Cron; Colorado Rockies get RHP Jake Madden and LHP Mason Albright

For the Angels: B

This is where we could expound on Grichuk and Cron, but suffice it to say we had the former pegged as a hidden gem and the latter as a good buy-low candidate.

There's little question of how badly these guys are needed in Anaheim in the wake of Taylor Ward's scary injury and Jared Walsh's DFA. Whether they'll help propel the Angels into the playoffs before they file for free agency this winter remains a good question, but you can't fault the team for going for it before Shohei Ohtani files his own free-agency papers.

For the Rockies: C

Relative to where things are right now, the Rockies got pretty good value for Grichuk and Cron. Their two new prospects are now the No. 20 and No. 21 talents in their system.

Nevertheless, the timing of this deal is frustrating. Why the Rockies traded Grichuk and Cron now and not ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, at which point both had a year-and-a-half of control left amid an eventual 94-loss season, is a question without a good answer.

Date: July 30

The Trade: Atlanta gets INF Nicky Lopez; Kansas City Royals get LHP Taylor Hearn

For Atlanta: A

Atlanta had only recently acquired Hearn for cash after the Rangers had designated him for assignment. It was a no-risk upside play, so one has to hand it to Atlanta for turning around and swapping the hard-throwing lefty for a player with a clearer role to play.

As a glove-first player who led all players in Outs Above Average in 2021, Lopez should be useful as a defensive replacement and spot-starter for an infield that, though star-studded, is better known for its offensive prowess. He'll also be under their control through 2025.

For the Royals: F

It's not a great look for the Royals that they gave up an actual major league player to get a cast-off mere days after he was traded for cash considerations. The fact that Hearn has a 5.26 ERA as a major leaguer doesn't exactly help.

It's also fair game to admonish the Royals for not trading Lopez sooner. His value was highest after that 2021 season, in which he also hit .300 and stole 22 bases. The Royals effectively chose to place a bet on him as a building block, for which this trade counts as a clear L.

Date: July 30

The Trade: Toronto Blue Jays get RHP Jordan Hicks; St. Louis Cardinals get RHP Sem Robberse and RHP Adam Kloffenstein

For the Blue Jays: B

Relief pitching has been more of a strength than a weakness for the Blue Jays, but whether that would remain the case was cast into serious doubt when All-Star closer Jordan Romano went on the IL with a back injury on Saturday.

The Jays, therefore, had to trade for somebody, and they could have done worse here. Hicks' reputation as a velocity maestro precedes him, and he's coming into Toronto hot by way of a 1.80 ERA over his last 14 appearances. He is a looming free agent, but that's no concern while the Jays are in possession of a wild-card spot.

For the Cardinals: B

If there's anything to take the Cardinals to task for here, it's how a pitcher with Hicks' arm didn't have more value when it came time to trade him. In five seasons with St. Louis, he's been just 1 percent better than average.

Still, it's hard to say the Cardinals sold low on Hicks. Robberse and Kloffenstein now rank as their No. 6 and No. 23 prospects, and both aren't far from the major leagues at the Double-A level. It's a good return for a pitcher who's better in the abstract than he is in reality.

Date: July 30

The Trade: Texas Rangers get RHP Max Scherzer and $35 million; New York Mets get INF Luisangel Acuña

For the Rangers: C

Yeah, we know. It's Max Scherzer. Three-time Cy Young Award winner. Eight-time All-Star. Future Hall of Famer. When a team trades for a guy like that, anything short of raucous celebration ought to be unacceptable.

The Scherzer of 2023, however, isn't much better than a league-average pitcher and issuing his highest contact rate since 2014. The 39-year-old may yet have more gas left in the tank than it seems, but the Rangers should have paid a lower price than their third-best prospect and $22.5 million to find out.

For the Mets: A

That it's even come to selling for the Mets is not what anyone had in mind when they entered 2023 with a historically high payroll. But that's also precisely why running it back with the same roster in 2024 would have been a mistake, and why selling was necessary.

That the Mets turned this version of Scherzer into any kind of prospect is commendable, and even more so that they turned him into Ronald Acuña Jr.'s younger brother.

Luisangel Acuña, 21, is having a breakout year at Double-A marked by a .315 average and 42 stolen bases, and he now ranks as New York's No. 2 prospect behind catcher Kevin Parada.

Date: July 28

The Trade: Los Angeles Dodgers get RHP Lance Lynn and RHP Joe Kelly; Chicago White Sox get OF Trayce Thompson, RHP Nick Nastrini and RHP Jordan Leasure

For the Dodgers: B

Even knowing how badly the Dodgers needed pitching, this trade looks like a misfire on the surface. They gave up Thompson and two prospects for a starter with a 6.47 ERA and a recently injured reliever with a 4.91 ERA.

Ah, but both Lynn and Kelly landed on our previously mentioned list of buy-low candidates. There's plenty in their profiles—i.e., Lynn's absurd 20.6 home run per fly ball rate—that simply isn't sustainable. And this is to say nothing of whatever tweaks the Dodgers, MLB's foremost fixer-upper of pitchers, might have in mind for the two righties.

For the White Sox: A

The White Sox held club options on Lynn and Kelly for 2024, so they might have held on to both pitchers in hopes of them rebuilding value next season. But trading them now was the right move, especially in context of what they got back.

Nastrini and Leasure are legit prospects who now rank at No. 4 and No. 26 in the White Sox's system. The big question is whether Nastrini will ever harness his control, but his plus fastball and plus slider would give him mid- or even top-of-the-rotation upside if he does.

Date: July 28

The Trade: Houston Astros get RHP Kendall Graveman; Chicago White Sox get C Korey Lee

For the Astros: C

One easy argument in favor of this deal is that the Astros sacrificed an expendable piece to get Graveman. Lee had been looking up at Yainer Díaz, who looks like their catcher of the future amid a rookie year where he has an .804 OPS and solid defensive metrics.

And yet, Lee was a Baseball America top 100 guy as recently as 2022. And while it's a positive that Graveman is signed through 2024, he's dealing with reduced velocity and came to Houston cold with a 5.51 ERA over his last 17 appearances with Chicago.

For the White Sox: B

OK, so maybe the White Sox could have turned Graveman into a current top 100 guy. Because despite his velo question mark and recent cool stretch, he's still an accomplished reliever who had been 26 percent better than average for them.

Yet it's good enough that the Pale Hose now have a new No. 13 prospect, much less one who plays a position where they badly need help. The minus-0.7 rWAR Chicago has gotten from its catchers is tied for second-lowest in the entire league.

Date: July 28

The Trade: Miami Marlins get RHP David Robertson; New York Mets get INF Marco Vargas and C Ronald Hernández

For the Marlins: B

The Marlins bullpen isn't bad, per se, but a figure such as 21 blown saves is liable to drive any contender batty. Hence Miami's earlier swap of Dylan Floro for Jorge López and this deal for Robertson, who's still getting it done at the age of 38.

Robertson put up a 2.05 ERA in 40 appearances with the Mets, with peripheral metrics that include a whole bunch of above average numbers. The Marlins should blow fewer saves with him closing games, which can only strengthen their tenuous grip on a wild-card spot.

For the Mets: A

As well as the Mets did in the Scherzer trade, they might have done even better in this one. They turned a rental closer making $10 million into two prospects who now rank at No. 18 and No. 21 in their system.

It seems like a case of the Mets instilling an intra-division tax on the Marlins, and the long-term upside is not to be underestimated. Vargas (18) and Hernández (19) are only teenagers playing in Rookie ball, but their OPSes there are .899 and .916, respectively.

Date: July 27

The Trade: Milwaukee Brewers get 1B Carlos Santana; Pittsburgh Pirates get INF Jhonny Severino

For the Brewers: B

The Brewers weren't getting much out of first base even when Rowdy Tellez was healthy, so it's no surprise that things didn't get better after he went on the IL on July 4. This is where Santana is meant to help for now, with a subsequent job awaiting him at designated hitter.

He should be up to it, and we don't just say that because the 37-year-old has an ample track record. He had posted an .811 OPS in his last 40 games with the Pirates. More of that would make him a nice rental for a Brewers team trying to reclaim first place in the NL Central.

For the Pirates: C

A lot has happened since the Pirates got off to a 20-8 start, and very little of it has been good. Alas, even this trade is slightly disappointing.

Severino, 18, was well-regarded as an international prospect when the Brewers signed him last year, but he's only played 13 games at Rookie ball this year and doesn't have a place within the Pirates' top 30 prospects. They should have gotten more for Santana.

Date: July 27

The Trade: Los Angeles Angels get RHP Lucas Giolito and RHP Reynaldo López; Chicago White Sox get C Edgar Quero and LHP Ky Bush

For the Angels: A

The Angels made this deal before anyone could ask "now what?" after they officially withdrew Shohei Ohtani from trade consideration. And with it, they added a top-of-the-rotation starter and a back-end reliever to a rotation and bullpen that needed both.

Giolito was a recipient of Cy Young votes on three occasions with the White Sox, and he's been 14 percent better than the average pitcher this year. López, a fellow free-agent-to-be, has a 4.15 ERA overall but a 1.57 ERA dating back to May 14. Like the Grichuk-Cron deal, this is a worthwhile gamble for a team with an admirable sense of urgency.

For the White Sox: A

Just because we're giving the Angels an A doesn't mean the White Sox got fleeced. Because as good as Giolito and López are, they didn't seem so good as to be worthy of a team's second- and third-ranked prospects.

That's what Quero and Bush were for the Angels, and now they're the White Sox's No. 2 and No. 6 prospects. Quero is now in an unofficial battle with Lee to be Chicago's catcher of the future, while Bush looked like a potential mid-rotation starter in 2022 before he ran afoul of the injury bug this season.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant. Reported deals via MLB.com's trade tracker.