The picture of the MLB trade deadline is finally coming into focus.
Shohei Ohtani is staying and the Angels are buying, the Mets are selling, and other teams on the bubble are biding their time to decide how aggressive they want to be.
The biggest shoes to drop belong to the Cardinals and the Padres. The Cardinals have two of the best corner infielders in baseball (who have no-trade clauses) in the midst of an utterly disastrous season, and the Padres have two pitchers who would be highly sought-after in Blake Snell and Josh Hader.
For some teams, the deadline is an investment -- an opportunity to acquire building blocks and fill out the farm system. For others, it's a chance to gear up for a World Series in 2023. Some of these players may be free agents at the end of the year, but a chance to compete this season is worth it, particularly with the expanded MLB playoffs in just their second year.
MORE MLB DEADLINE: Live rumors tracker | Best players still available
With that in mind, the real grade of every trade made ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline is "INC". But that isn't fun, and other factors must be taken into consideration to determine arbitrary "winners and losers."
Here are The Sporting News' live trade grades of every deal made at the deadline, dating back to Aroldis Chapman's move to the Rangers in an early move.
MLB trade grades 2023: Live analysis on every deadline deal
Red Sox get Luis Urias under the wire
- Red Sox get: INF Luis Urias
- Brewers get: RHP Bradley Blalock
- Grades: Red Sox C | Brewers B+
Luis Urias spent a lot of this year in Triple-A, whereas Bradley Blalock is putting together a nice season as he recovers from a 2022 Tommy John surgery. The Red Sox probably want warm bodies they can try in the infield, but Urias hasn't been himself for Milwaukee. With that being said, he's had a few good seasons. Perhaps the Red Sox can unlock something.
Marlins flip Garrett Cooper to San Diego
- Padres get: 1B Garrett Cooper, RHP Sean Reynolds
- Marlins get: LHP Ryan Weathers
- Grades: Padres A- | Marlins C+
Weathers is an interesting acquisition for the Marlins. He has a batting average against of .313 in 44 2/3 innings this season for San Diego, but Miami must have wanted to add a lefty arm. Kim Ng also seems to believe the effect of couching Cooper's loss with the acquisition of Bell will make things break even. Ultimately, it's a move to be taken in conjunction with trading for Bell. But Weathers is an odd name to take a flier on.
Guardians trade Josh Bell to the Marlins
- Marlins get: 1B Josh Bell
- Guardians get: INF Jean Segura, INF Kahlil Watson
- Grades: Marlins B- | Guardians B
The Marlins pulled a bit of a switcheroo at first, trading Garrett Cooper to the Padres while trading for Bell from the Guardians. They shed Jean Segura in the process, but also parted with infield prospect Kahlil Watson. Watson is an above-average defender, the kind of player the Guardians like (and who might get flipped in the next few years). Bell is a switch-hitter who can't get platooned out, though he has just 11 homers on the year.
Mets and Angels sneak a deal in
- Angels get: RHP Dominic Leone
- Mets get: SS Jeremiah Jackson
- Grades: Mets A | Angels C
The Mets sell one more time and the Angels buy one more time, as things should be. The Mets landed themselves the Angels' No. 9 prospect at the time of the deal for a rental reliever in Dominic Leone. Billy Eppler was clearly fully committed to selling, and he landed one more infield piece. This is a really nice set-dressing move to end the deadline for New York in what was already an incredibly busy deadline.
Rays make a depth trade
- Brewers get: RHP Evan McKendry
- Rays get: C Alex Jackson
- Grades: Inc.
It's a Triple-A prospect swap. More late reshuffling.
Phillies trade a pitcher for an infielder
- Phillies get: INF Rodolfo Castro
- Pirates get: LHP Bailey Falter
- Grades: Phillies B- | Pirates B-
Kind of a strange one-for-one deal here, the Phillies get a depth bat while the Pirates get a left-handed dealer who hasn't thrown much in 2023 and has struggled when he has. Castro's infamous moment came when his phone came out of his pocket sliding into third last season. But this is more of a change of scenery deal than anything.
Yankees do one (1) thing
- Yankees get: RHP Keynan Middleton
- White Sox get: RHP Juan Carela
- Grades: Yankees D | White Sox C
This is a sum of its parts deal. When you're a team that is hitting like the Yankees, you don't get to trade for one reliever and act like you did something. The Yankees didn't commit to buying or selling. It's a lackluster deadline. The White Sox, meanwhile, moved Middleton but hung onto Dylan Cease and Aaron Bummer. Carela is a fringe top 30 prospect. Not much going into this deal in general.
Orioles get a starting pitcher from St. Louis
- Orioles get: RHP Jack Flaherty
- Cardinals get: INF Cesar Prieto, LHP Drew Rom
- Grades: Cardinals A- | Orioles B
The Orioles parting with not one, but two top-20 prospects for Flaherty is, if nothing else, minorly surprising. Prieto is an infielder with decent upside whereas Rom is a long lefty with an arm slot made for high leverage platoon work. Flaherty is a rental, but the Orioles clearly felt the pressure to make a deal with the deadline looming. They get a starter who will look to recapture his 2019 form, and he's been on the way to doing so. The Cardinals did well to hold onto Flaherty as long as they did. All things told their return wasn't going to get much better.
Tommy Pham becomes late deadline mover
- Diamondbacks get: OF Tommy Pham
- Mets get: SS Jeremy Rodriguez
- Grades: Diamondbacks B+ | Mets C
Pham being moved was a matter of when rather than if. The Diamondbacks get themselves a low-rent outfielder who has put together a nice season and been a lone bright spot for the underperforming Mets. They get back a lottery ticket shortstop for their troubles, not much for the Dbacks to part ways with for Pham.
Marlins get a big bat for a strong pitching prospect
- Marlins get: 3B/DH Jake Burger
- White Sox get: LHP Jake Eder
- Grades: White Sox B+ | Marlins A-
This is a savvy move on both sides as well. The Marlins land a power bat (admittedly one that strikes out with frequency) with a lot of team control for a pitching prospect. The White Sox, meanwhile, adding pitching depth to their prospect pool in the form of Eder, replacing some of the talent lost. Decent work on both sides for teams who have proven to be in very different places.
Brewers get another reliever
- Brewers get: LHP Andrew Chafin
- Diamondbacks get: RHP Peter Strezlecki
- Grades: Brewers B | Diamondbacks C+
The Diamondbacks traded for Paul Sewald to bolster their bullpen, and now they unload a high leverage lefty reliever, likely in preparation for Joe Mantiply's return from Reno (if Mantiply isn't traded as well). Chafin hasn't been great this season, but he rounds out a Brewers deadline full of B-listers, joining additions Carlos Santana and Mark Canha. It's spot filling, but that's pretty par for the course for a Brewers deadline.
Mariners and Orioles reshuffle some deck chairs
- Mariners get: RHP Eduard Bazardo
- Orioles get: RHP Logan Rinehart
- Grades: Mariners C | Orioles C
Two teams who like to make trades made a trade.
Tigers trade Lorenzen with Verlander domino down
- Tigers get: RHP Michael Lorenzen
- Phillies get: 2B Hao-Yu Lee
- Grades: Tigers A | Phillies B
The Tigers spent a lot of time clutching on Lorenzen, clearly hoping for the Verlander domino to fall. Now that he did, Tigers president of baseball ops pulled the trigger with the Phillies and got a nice return for the righty. Phillies No. 5 prospect Hao-Yu Lee heads to the Tigers for a pitcher who is nearing his career high in innings and probably wasn't expect to net much at the start of the season. It's a nice get and ultimately a fair one for one. A solid start for a Tigers regime that is succeeding a front office infamous for holding onto player too long.
Astros reunite with Verlander in huge deadline deal
- Astros get: RHP Justin Verlander
- Mets get: OF Drew Gilbert, OF Ryan Clifford
- Grades: Astros A- | Mets A
Teams constantly hem and haw about being sellers, which is perfectly fine. But the Mets have backed that up. They traded Max Scherzer to the Rangers over the weekend, and now they send Justin Verlander to the Astros for a pair of legitimately excellent prospects. Gilbert was the Astros No. 1 and should be top five for the Mets, and Ryan Clifford was No. 4 for Houston. For the Astros, Verlander is a known quantity. They inherit his $43.3 million salary next year and $35 million vest in 2025, but they desperately needed an arm. Verlander more than fits the bill.
Blue Jays get insurance at shortstop after Bo Bichette injury
- Blue Jays get: SS Paul DeJong
- Cardinals get: RHP Matt Svanson
- Grades: Blue Jays B+ | Cardinals A-
The Blue Jays and Cardinals have become extremely familiar with each other. The avian connection continues with Paul DeJong heading to Toronto following the injury to Bo Bichette, following former and current again teammate Jordan Hicks, who the Blue Jays traded for when Jordan Romano went on IL. Matt Svanson has had a nice year at high-A Vancouver, posting an ERA of 1.23 in 24 games. The Cardinals getting a rising arm for DeJong given how things looked with him coming into this season is a small solace in a disappointing year. This move should help both sides.
Padres throw their hat in the ring with Pirates trade
- Padres get: LHP Rich Hill, 1B Ji-Man Choi
- Pirates get: LHP Jackson Wolf, 1B Alfonso Rivas, OF Estuar Suero
- Grades: Padres C | Pirates B
The Pirates have reportedly been weighing their options on a Rich Hill deal, and they end up sending him to the Padres for a top 30 pitcher in Jackson Wolf and a high-upside lottery ticket in Estuar Suero. Ji-Man Choi is a nice addition, but these aren't going to be dealmakers for the Padres as they chase a playoff spot. Hill is a totally fine depth add, but the Padres have a lot of other problems and this has the trappings of trading to trade.
Braves get another reliever
- Braves get: LHP Brad Hand
- Rockies get: RHP Alec Barger
- Grades: Braves A- | Rockies B-
The Braves already got Nicky Lopez for next to nothing. Now they get lefty reliever Brad Hand from the Rockies. Barger was a two-way player in college who has committed to pitcher for the Braves. With their deep pitching system, losing him isn't devastating. The Rockies, meanwhile, send Hand off to his seventh team since 2020. He's a typical Anthopoulos add, but he deepens the Atlanta bullpen. That's always welcome at the deadline.
Rays and Cubs make a small deal
- Rays get: RHP Adrian Sampson, RHP Manuel Rodriguez, International cap space
- Cubs get: RHP Josh Roberson
- Grades: Cubs C+ | Rays B-
While teams try to figure out how to land the big fish, these are the kinds of deals that are going to get made. The Rays land a veteran back-end starter who should fit well for them in Sampson and a 27-year-old pitcher in Rodriguez, while the Cubs get a lottery ticket in Roberson. The Cubs have already been active, so this is just a way to keep a little busy for the time being. Ultimately not a make or break deal for either side.
Diamondbacks land an infielder for a lottery ticket
- Diamondbacks get: INF Jace Peterson
- Athletics get: RHP Chad Patrick
- Grades: Diamondbacks C | Athletics C
After trading Josh Rojas to the Mariners in the Paul Sewald deal, the Diamondbacks landed some middle infield depth in Jace Peterson. Hardly an everyday player, Peterson was one of the Athletic's few tradeable pieces on a relatively short two-year deal, but he should be able to spot fill for Arizona. The Athletics get a lottery ticket in pitcher Chad Patrick, who wan't top 30 for the Diamondbacks. All in all, pretty mundane trade across the board.
Royals get a controllable bat for a bullpen arm
- Cubs get: RHP Jose Cuas
- Royals get: OF Nelson Velazquez
- Grades: Cubs C+ | Royals B
The Royals definitely come off a bit better in this move than they did in their trade with the Braves. Jose Cuas is a long bullpen arm who has a goofy release point that can be effective against righties. He might do well in that Chicago pen, but Velazquez is a thumper who has a lot of control left for Kansas City. This is a reasonable trade for both sides as the Cubs look for high-leverage help and the Royals look for some kind of roster building blocks.
Reds add a bullpen arm while Athletics get a prospect
- Reds get: LHP Sam Moll, int'l cap space
- Athletics get: RHP Joe Boyle
- Grades: Reds B | Athletics C
This move might be more about the cap space for the Reds than the players involved. Moll is a perfectly fine addition to the Cincinnati bullpen, whereas the Athletics get a fringe top 30 prospect in return. This is a half-hearted buy for the Reds, who might not be done yet, but don't expect Moll to be the difference in the NL Central race. Very little to say about this type of deal.
Mariners continue to offload, this time to Giants
- Giants get: OF A.J. Pollock, UTIL Mark Mathias
- Mariners get: Player to be named later, cash
- Grades: Giants B- | Mariners C-
This deal is a big old "why not?" The Mariners thought they had a glut in the outfield heading into this season with the additions of Teoscar Hernandez and A.J. Pollock, but Pollock has been relegated to a sometimes-DH and the Mariners never found a spot for him. Generally when offloading a player who was obviously a rental anyways teams are looking for a little more, but this was the best the Mariners were going to do. The Giants get a bat with a lot of potential power but little practical slugging this year to join another former Mariner in Mitch Haniger. It's a rather conservative move for a team looking to keep pace with the Dodgers, but a fair one.
Cubs get the best position player available while Nationals get prospects
- Cubs get: 3B Jeimer Candelario
- Nationals get: LHP D.J. Herz, SS Kevin Made
- Grades: Cubs A | Nationals A
Who doesn't love a trade where everyone gets a little better? The Cubs have pushed their chips in to attempt a playoff run and not only are holding onto two players everyone thought would be available in Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger, but they're also trading for the best position player on the market. The Nationals, meanwhile, offload a player they signed at the beginning of the year for two top 30 prospects, a coup for a player they signed for $5 million. All-in-all, it's just a good old fashioned mutually beneficial swap.
Mets sale continues with Mark Canha to Brewers
- Brewers get: OF Mark Canha
- Mets get: RHP Justin Jarvis
- Grades: Mets B | Brewers B-
The Mets are sellers at this deadline, that much was already abundantly clear. They offloaded outfielder Mark Canha to the Brewers for fringe top-30 pitching prospect Justin Jarvis. In addition, the Mets will pay the rest of Canha's salary this season. Getting anything for Canha is a bit of a minor miracle, but this move isn't charity for either side. It gets the Brewers a league-average hitter by OPS+ and it adds another body to the Mets farm system, an emphasis for them.
Diamondbacks trade with the Mariners for a closer
- Diamondbacks get: RHP Paul Sewald
- Mariners get: 3B Josh Rojas, OF Dominic Canzone, INF Ryan Bliss
- Grades: Diamondbacks A- | Mariners C
Turns out Paul Sewald shouldn't have left Arizona Sunday. There's a bit of hubris in this deal for the Mariners, who have long adopted the mentality that a "closer" isn't a title that belongs to one player. Seattle loves its bullpen, and so flipping Sewald for a strong return is just good business for Jerry Dipoto. However, while the Diamondbacks get a legitimate closer, the Mariners are getting some utility guys and a top 30 prospect who has already seen the bigs in Canzone. Second base has been a disaster for Seattle this season, so the vision might to see if Rojas can bring some continuity there. Rojas has mostly been at third this season, however, so this doesn't seem like it's addressing a ton of need.
Rays add another arm as the Guardians half-sell
- Rays get: RHP Aaron Civale
- Guardians get: 1B Kyle Manzardo
- Grades: Rays C+ | Guardians B
The Rays pulled a classic Rays move in their acquisition of Aaron Civale. Civale is under team control through 2025 and has trended in a less-than-great direction this season. The Rays are clearly hoping they can curb that. Manzardo is a top-five prospect for the Rays, per MLB Pipeline, so as one-for-one this makes some sense as a move. However, as the Rays continue to struggle this year, Civale doesn't necessarily have the makings of an answer.
Braves pick up another infielder
- Braves get: INF Nicky Lopez
- Royals get: LHP Taylor Hearn
- Grades: Braves A | Royals F
Teams have got to stop trading with Alex Anthopoulos. At a trade deadline where other sellers are getting extremely friendly exchange rates, the Royals got a 28-year-old reliever whom the Braves had picked up just days before. Lopez isn't going to bring a thunderstick to the plate for the Braves, but if you're the Royals, you would have liked to get a little more for one of your few options with value.
Angels continue to fill out their roster
- Angels get: 1B C.J. Cron, OF Randal Grichuk
- Rockies get: RHP Jake Madden, LHP Mason Albright
- Grades: Angels B- | Rockies B+
The Rockies are actually selling, and the Angels are actually buying. What results is, frankly, weird trades like this. The Angels traded for Cron and Grichuk to add some bats after already adding pitching, but again, the price was rather steep. Madden and Albright are a pair of top-30 prospects the Rockies were able to get for rentals, so it's a bit of a coup for them. But when the market is this seller-friendly and the Angels are as desperate to make the playoffs as they are, this is what happens.
Rangers make another rotation move
- Rangers get: LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Chris Stratton
- Cardinals get: LHP John King, RHP Tekoah Roby, INF Thomas Saggese
- Grades: Rangers A | Cardinals B+
This is the kind of mutually beneficial deal it's clear we can expect from Chris Young. He's pushing his chips in. This is the second straight deadline Montgomery has been moved. He's a reliable left-handed arm who fills out the Rangers rotation. John Mozeliak and the Cardinals aren't used to being in the position of sellers, but this move makes sense for them too. Roby and Saggese are solid adds to the Cardinals farm system, while King could be back in the majors if the Cardinals need another arm.
Max Scherzer waives his no-trade to go to Texas
- Rangers get: RHP Max Scherzer
- Mets get: INF Luisangel Acuña, cash
- Grades: Rangers B+ | Mets B
This is an ambitious move for the Rangers, but to only give up a middle infield prospect who would have found himself stuck behind Marcus Semien and Corey Seager anyways and get Scherzer to opt into 2024 is a good choice. Nathan Eovaldi went to the IL and Scherzer, despite what hasn't been a good season in New York, could do well with a change of scenery. Acuña will be a boon for the Mets minor league system, which Steve Cohen has expressed interest in filling out. This is a good start, even if it isn't the traditionally massive haul.
Blue Jays get flamethrower after Jordan Romano injury
- Blue Jays get: RHP Jordan Hicks
- Cardinals get: RHP Sem Robberse, RHP Adam Kloffenstein
- Grades: Blue Jays B+ | Cardinals C+
Hicks seemed broken in the beginning of the season, but over the past two months the right-handed flamethrower has been lights out. He's been thrust into the closing role with Ryan Helsley out, and while it's been a bumpy ride, with Jordan Romano on the IL, the Blue Jays got one of the strongest arms on the market. In return, they ship off a pair of back-of-rotation arms who could debut for the Cardinals as early as next season.
Astros fire sale continues
- Astros get: RHP Kendall Graveman
- White Sox get: C Korey Lee
- Grades: Astros C+ | White Sox A-
Adding another top-30 prospect and former first-round pick in Lee is a big return for Graveman. The White Sox's fifth dealer dealt was the veteran reliever, who heads to an Astros team that is caught up in a race in the AL West. Graveman is another piece in what's been a crazy busy deadline for Rick Hahn and the Southside Sox, but Lee is a solid get.
White Sox deal two more pitchers to other Los Angeles team
- Dodgers get: RHP Lance Lynn and RHP Joe Kelly
- White Sox get: OF Trayce Thompson, RHP Jordan Leasure and RHP Nick Nastrini
- Grades: Dodgers A+ | White Sox B-
Dodger grades have to be taken with a grain of salt, because we're often looking at pitchers in the context of going to ... the Dodgers. In this move, however, the Dodgers add a starter and a reliever for a pair of 20s pitchers who have shown control issues and an outfielder in Thompson who has not hit well. Lynn and Kelly, like the rest of the White Sox staff, have slightly inflated ERAs. The Dodgers are hoping to normalize it within their oft-injured pitching staff.
Mets trade outstanding reliever within the NL East
- Marlins get: RHP David Robertson
- Mets get: INF Marco Vargas and C Ronald Hernández
- Grades: Marlins A- | Mets B
The Mets didn't want to be here, but this is where they are. Deadline sellers, they traded their best reliever David Robertson for a pair of rookie ballers who aren't yet in their 20s. This is a hard pivot for New York, which didn't think Robertson was going to be a deadline piece, but it's the second year in a row the reliever has been moved at the deadline in the midst of a nice season. The return isn't bad, but it's clearly an investment.
Brewers replace Rowdy Tellez in NL Central swap
- Brewers get: 1B Carlos Santana
- Pirates get: SS Jhonny Severino
- Grades: Brewers C+ | Pirates B
This trade is kind of the Brewers taking the Pirates' bait. Santana had played well for the Mariners last season and the Pirates signed him to a one-year deal hoping to flip him at the deadline, and with Rowdy Tellez injured, Santana was the best option for the Brewers to replace him. Even when Tellez comes back, Santana should be able to stay on defense. Severino is a bit of a lottery ticket, but he's a promising international signing and a somewhat risky player for the Brewers to part with. He's more than what the Pirates were likely hoping for when they signed Santana.
Angels push their chips in for Shohei Ohtani
- Angels get: RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Reynaldo Lopez
- White Sox get: LHP Ky Bush, C Edgar Quero
- Grades: Angels B | White Sox A-
The Angels have selected a path. They're trying to make the playoffs this year in an attempt to woo Ohtani to stay. That means ambitious moves have to be made. The start of that path has included the additions of Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez from the White Sox to shore up their staff. The price to acquire them was steep, however. Quero and Bush both immediately became top 10 players in the Sox system, and with Giolito and Lopez hitting free agency after this season, them being a moved was a matter of when not if anyways.
MORE: Everything to know about Shohei Ohtani's free agency this offseason
Dodgers trade an aging pitcher for another shortstop
- Dodgers get: SS Amed Rosario
- Guardians get: RHP Noah Syndergaard
- Grades: Dodgers B- | Guardians C-
Noah Syndergaard really wanted to stage a comeback with the Dodgers, but it just wasn't meant to be. His velocity has stayed down and he caps out around six innings. As the Dodgers reshuffle their pitcher situation, they trade Syndergaard away and help to clear the Guardians' logjam in the middle infield. Rosario's glove may be a net negative, but he can still be a viable bat for the Dodgers, and getting any return for Syndergaard is a win.
Twins deal pitcher acquired at last year's deadline
- Marlins get: RHP Jorge Lopez
- Twins get: RHP Dylan Floro
- Grades: Twins D | Marlins C+
This is a difficult look for the Twins. Minnesota traded for Lopez at last year's deadline and gave up a lot to get him, including a breakout player in Yennier Cano. Trading him just a year later in a straight-up reliever swap looks like an inauspicious move in Minnesota, a team that has struggled to build its roster out.
Blue Jays and Mariners exchange a reliever for a prospect
- Blue Jays get: SS Mason McCoy
- Mariners get: RHP Trent Thornton
- Grades: Blue Jays B- | Mariners C+
Another quiet type of trade, the Blue Jays and Mariners are two teams familiar with each other. After acquiring Genesis Cabrera, the Jays DFA'd Thornton. The Mariners picked up a hard-throwing righty in Thornton and, although he isn't their normal bullpen type, he should fit in Seattle. McCoy is a prospect out of Tacoma who was sent to Buffalo by the Jays upon his acquisition. He has decent power among middle infielders, though he can struggle with contact.
Dodgers reunite with World Series utilityman
- Dodgers get: UTIL Enrique Hernandez
- Red Sox get: RHP Nick Robertson, RHP Justin Hagenman
- Grades: Dodgers C+ | Red Sox C
This is a trade that doesn't need a ton of fanfare. It's a depth add for the Dodgers and a signing that didn't work out for the Red Sox. A team vying for a playoff spot like the Red Sox doesn't generally want to part with veterans, but it was clear this match wasn't going anywhere fast despite a solid 2021 season for Hernandez.
Rangers acquire Aroldis Chapman to bolster the bullpen
- Rangers get: RHP Aroldis Chapman
- Royals get: OF Roni Cabrera, LHP Cole Ragans
- Grades: Royals C+ | Rangers B+
Chapman curbed the washed allegations with the Royals this season following his bizarre exit from the Yankees, posting an ERA of under 3.00 up to the point he was traded at the end of June. The Rangers didn't get the flamethrowing lefty to be a closer, but he does bolster the back end of the bullpen for them. For a team looking to make a run, that is significant. For the Royals' part, they might have sold a bit early on Chapman thinking they were selling high. Neither Ragans nor Cabrera were top-30 in the Rangers' system, but the Royals need to fill out their farm system by any means necessary. This is a starting point.
