The floodgates have opened, and trade deadline week is in full swing. Here’s a quick rundown of all the weekend’s action through Saturday night as of 11 p.m. ET.
Thursday
A.J. Puk from Marlins to Diamondbacks: The Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks kicked things off, with Puk heading west in exchange for two minor-league prospects (IF Deyvison De Los Santos and OF Andrew Pintar). Puk’s full-season numbers didn’t look great (4-8, 4.30 ERA), but take a look at these splits before and after an injured list stint for shoulder fatigue.
As a starter (March 29-April 19): Four games, 0-4, 9.22 ERA, 12 strikeouts, 17 walks, 13 2/3 innings
As a reliever (May 13-present): 28 games, 4-4, 2.08 ERA, 33 strikeouts, 6 walks, 30 1/3 innings
It’s a nice move for the Diamondbacks, who, as of Saturday morning, ranked 28th of 30 teams with -0.4 fWAR from left-handed relievers.
(Trade grades)
Randy Arozarena from Rays to Mariners: The Seattle Mariners pulled off a late-night blockbuster Thursday, swapping three prospects — OF Aidan Smith, RHP Brody Hopkins and a player to be named later — to the Tampa Bay Rays for Arozarena. He’ll join a Seattle outfield that has underperformed all year, something you could also have said for Arozarena in April and May (.158 average, .568 OPS). He has turned it on in the summer months, however, batting .284 with a .903 OPS in June and July.
It was an emotional departure for Arozarena, the American League Championship Series MVP in 2020, the year before he won AL Rookie of the Year. That was evidenced by his attendance at the Rays game the next day, sitting with his family in the outfield stands before departing to meet up with his new team on a trip in Chicago.
Arozarena is a proven postseason star — 1.104 OPS in 33 postseason games — now the Mariners just have to get there.
(Trade grades, analysis, column)
Other minor trades:
• The Pittsburgh Pirates traded CF Gilberto Celestino to the Chicago Cubs.
Friday
James Paxton from Dodgers to Red Sox: It was no surprise that the Los Angeles Dodgers traded Paxton — he had recently been designated for assignment — nor was it much of a surprise that the Boston Red Sox were the destination. Paxton wasn’t a star last year in Boston, but he was reliable enough, and the team needed reliable innings. They sent infielder Moises Bolivar to the Dodgers in return.
(Analysis)
Hays to Phillies for Pache and Dominguez: We got our first buyer-on-buyer action Friday night, as the Baltimore Orioles sent OF Austin Hays to the Philadelphia Phillies for OF Cristian Pache and RHP Seranthony Dominguez. The Phillies got their platoon partner for Brandon Marsh and the Orioles solidified their bullpen while acquiring an outfielder who was once a big-name prospect but just hasn’t quite panned out in Atlanta, Oakland or Philadelphia.
(Trade grades)
Zach Eflin went 21-15 with a 3.72 ERA in two seasons with the Rays. (Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)
Zach Eflin from Rays to Orioles: Baltimore then turned its attention to the rotation, acquiring right-handed starter Eflin from the Rays for three minor leaguers, OF Matthew Etzel, RHP Jackson Baumeister and IF/OF Mac Horvath. As C. Trent Rosecrans writes here, the Arozarena and Eflin trades are in line with the Rays’ long-standing budget philosophy
(Trade grades, analysis)
Mariners bullpen shuffle: Trader Jerry Dipoto then pulled off a bullpen shuffle, swiping RHP Yimi García from the Toronto Blue Jays for two prospects (outfielder Jonatan Clase and C Jacob Sharp) before shipping RHP Ryne Stanek to the New York Mets for minor-league OF Rhylan Thomas.
(Trade grades: Garcia, Stanek)
Other minor trades:
• The Mets dealt RHP Cole Sulser to the Rays for cash.
Saturday
Nate Pearson from Blue Jays to Cubs: We didn’t expect the Cubs to be buyers, right? Well, it wasn’t exactly that. Chicago landed Pearson — once regarded as a front-line starting pitching prospect — for two minor leaguers: shortstop Josh Rivera and left fielder Yohendrick Pinango. This move doesn’t signal a change of heart this year so much as an eye to the future: Pearson is under team control through 2026, and Pinango would have been Rule 5 eligible this offseason if not added to the 40-man roster.
(Trade grades)
Jazz Chisolm Jr. from Marlins to Yankees: After the Rays grabbed the headlines on each of the first two nights, Miami kept Florida relevant Saturday, as it sent 2022 All-Star outfielder and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees for three prospects: C Agustín Ramirez, IF Jared Serna and OF/IF Abrahan Ramirez.
Chisolm has speed and power and, perhaps equally as important, defensive versatility. The Yankees could stretch that even further; with second baseman Gleyber Torres’ recent hot streak, it will be interesting to see whether they ask Chisholm to try third base — a position he has not played in pro ball, though he does have 310 games at shortstop under his belt in the minor leagues.
(Trade grades)
Nick Mears from Rockies to Brewers: Then the Milwaukee Brewers, as expected, bolstered their pitching staff on a budget. Mears’ numbers (1-4, 5.56 ERA) don’t seem all that impressive, but his 57 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings (22 walks) suggest there’s room for positive regression. So does his Baseball Savant page, which is littered with enough red to make you wonder just how the results have been so bad.
The Colorado Rockies got RHPs Bradley Blalock and Yujanyer Herrera in return.
(Trade grades)
Carlos Estévez from Angels to Phillies: Philadelphia continued to load up for October, picking up Los Angeles Angels closer Estévez to bolster the back end of their bullpen. Estévez was one of the best relievers, if not the best, on the market, having closed games for the Angels for the last two years. In return, the Halos got pitching prospects George Klassen and Sam Aldegheri.
(Trade grades)
Danny Jansen from Blue Jays to Red Sox: It’s never fun for fans when their team begins a sell-off around this time of year. It’s even worse when one of the departures is a fan favorite. Just to make it triple burn, Jansen is headed to a division rival in Boston. But — as is sorta the point of these things — the Blue Jays continued to upgrade their farm system, getting RHP Gilberto Batista and infielders Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino.
(Trade grades)
We’ll be back tomorrow night with another roundup on what seems likely to be yet another chaotic day.
(Top photo of Jazz Chisholm Jr.: Rich Storry / Getty Images)
