Jul 20, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (8) stands in the dugout prior to the Padres’ game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images The Major League Baseball trade deadline unleashed a late fury Thursday, mostly involving the Minnesota Twins purging 40 percent of their roster.
It’s questionable what the Twins won aside from some salary relief, but a few teams around the league clearly improved themselves in the short and long term. Let’s look at the winners of the trade deadline.
San Diego Padres
General manager A.J. Preller made five deals before the bell sounded, improving the San Diego Padres for this season more than any other team in the league.
Hard-throwing relief ace Mason Miller headlines the incoming haul to the Padres, who also added left-handed pitcher J.P. Sears to their starting rotation in a deal with the Athletics for 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries, who is ranked the No. 5 overall prospect by Baseball America.
Miller, who turns 27 in August, has one of the best strikeout percentages in the league at 39.1%, a shade ahead of Aroldis Chapman. Miller’s four-seam fastball averages 101.1 mph, and his slider is one of the toughest in the league to hit. He also doesn’t reach free agency until 2030. The Padres already have strong relief pitching with Robert Suárez, Jason Adam, Adrian Morejón and Jeremiah Estrada.
Outfielders Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano, along with catcher Freddy Fermin, infielder Will Wagner and left-handed starting pitcher Nestor Cortes also are on their way to San Diego. The Padres enter play Friday three games back of the Dodgers in the NL West and 3 1/2 games ahead of the Reds in the NL wild-card standings.
While Preller leveraged a lot of his farm system to make these deals, the Padres did hang onto right-hander Dylan Cease, who generated trade interest but, like many other top-of-the-rotation starters, stayed put at the deadline. The Padres organization has never won a World Series.
Oakland Athletics
Jul 29, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics center fielder Lawrence Butler (4) heads back toward the clubhouse after defeating the Seattle Mariners 6-1 at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images No matter Miller’s talent and Sears’ utility, the Athletics did the right thing in the long run by adding De Vries, a native of the Dominican Republic who has fared well at advanced Class A, where he is about 4 1/2 years younger than the Midwest League average player. He batted .245/.357/.410 with eight home runs, 19 doubles, four triples and eight stolen bases before the trade.
The A’s also added lesser prospects from the Padres in the De Vries deal — right-handed pitchers Henry Báez, Braden Nett and Eduarniel Núñez. For a team going nowhere in the standings, the moves made sense.
Toronto Blue Jays
Mar 12, 2024; Surprise, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) bats against the Texas Rangers during the second inning at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images The Toronto Blue Jays surprised many by streaking to the top of the AL East, and they might have added the best starting pitcher who was moved at the deadline. Right-hander Shane Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young in 2020 with the Guardians, is just now returning from Tommy John surgery.
Bieber has made four rehab starts, posting a 1.59 ERA with 21 strikeouts and one walk in 11 1/3 innings for Cleveland’s minor-league affiliates. While he is unlikely to be at full strength in the second half and remains at risk for a setback, Bieber gives the Jays a huge weapon come playoff time if they get there. They haven’t won a World Series since 1993.
Toronto GM Ross Atkins also added Seranthony Domínguez and Louis Varland to bolster the right side of the bullpen. Varland throws a 98 mph fastball and spiked curve that changes the calculus for Toronto in high-leverage situations.
The Jays added these pieces without giving up their best pitching prospect, right-hander Trey Yesavage, who has a top 50-70 overall ranking.
Seattle Mariners
Jul 19, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third base Eugenio Suárez (28) celebrates with Josh Naylor (22) after hitting a two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Another team that hasn’t won a World Series in its history, the Mariners pushed in several of their chips to try and make it happen in 2025. Team president Jerry Dipoto added a pair of sluggers from the Arizona Diamondbacks to bolster Seattle’s lineup, which is led by AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh and came in ranked 12th in runs scored. Third baseman Eugenio Suárez and first baseman Josh Naylor give the M’s a much more formidable offense. It is Suárez’s second stint with the Mariners. He’s fifth in the league in home runs.
Seattle also ranks 12th in ERA, and has one of the best starting rotations in the league. Dipoto couldn’t add more than left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson at the deadline and didn’t execute a plan B after failing to land Jhoan Duran to supplement closer Andrés Muñoz.
New York Mets
vJul 13, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) singles during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images The New York Mets lead the NL East by a hair but needed to fix some leaks in the bullpen and patch up center field. They made wholesale changes to the pen, adding Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and left-hander Gregory Soto to supplement closer Edwin Díaz.
They also added Cedric Mullins to play center, making all of these moves while keeping their top prospects. The Mets haven’t won the World Series since 1986.
New York Yankees
Feb 13, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) gives a press conference during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images The New York Yankees endured several injuries in the first half, including a recent one to slugger Aaron Judge, and fell out of first place in the AL East. But they’re still in a comfortable wild-card position, to which they added three relievers: David Bednar, Jake Bird and Camilo Doval.
A few days before the deadline, the Yanks also added third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Rockies, and general manager Brian Cashman also bolstered the bench with Jose Caballero, Amed Rosario and Austin Slater.
Philadelphia Phillies
Jul 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) reacts after the final out of the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The Phillies landed Duran for the bullpen, though it took a pair of top 100 prospects to do it. They also signed right-hander David Robertson out of retirement.
Taking further advantage of the Twins’ roster purge, the Phillies also added outfielder Harrison Bader, who has performed well on both sides of the ball.
Houston Astros
Jul 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) on deck during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images The real winner of the Carlos Correa trade is Correa himself, above and beyond the Houston Astros. Not only does Correa get to go home to Houston, but he’ll be able to move to third base and ease a physical burden that includes a bad back, a surgically repaired ankle and the management of plantar fasciitis in both feet. His defense at shortstop had declined a bit in 2025, and a horribly slow start at the plate put a crimp in his overall offensive numbers.
