MLB Trade Deadline: 3 Winners and 3 Losers

Baseball fans can finally catch their breath, as one of the most action-packed trade deadlines has come to a close. Dozens of major leaguers have new homes for the final two months of the season, and we now have a clearer idea as to who is going all-in and who is throwing in the towel.

Here are the three big winners of the deadline, followed by the three teams who weren’t so successful.

Winner - Los Angeles Dodgers

The rich got richer at the trade deadline, as the defending champion Dodgers acquired starting pitcher Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner from the Nationals. In return, L.A. shipped four prospects to D.C., including top-catching prospect Keibert Ruiz and pitcher Josiah Gray.

Scherzer gives the Dodgers another former Cy Young winner to join Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler for the stretch run, while the former All-Star Turner forms an elite double-play combo with current shortstop Corey Seager and has one more year on his current contract. Adding those types of talents happens very rarely at the trade deadline, but L.A. managed to pull it off.

In addition, the Dodgers also made separate deals to acquire pitcher Danny Duffy from the Royals and backup outfielder Billy McKinney from the Mets. All in all, the champs were the big winners at the deadline.

Loser - San Diego Padres

Don’t get me wrong, the Padres made a trio of moves that improved their team overall. However, they were believed to be in on Scherzer before the Dodgers swooped in and also attempted to land Jose Berrios from the Twins before the Jays made a deal, leaving them without either of their most-coveted targets.

Instead, the Padres added everywhere except to their starting rotation. San Diego swung a deal for Pirates' second baseman Adam Frazier, the MLB leader in hits. They also acquired veteran reliever Daniel Hudson from the Nationals and backup outfielder Jake Marisnick from the Cubs.

Overall, the Padres are happy with the players they got but disappointed they didn’t land their primary targets, especially since one of them went to their biggest rival instead. That makes them one of the losers of the deadline.

Winner - Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have a commanding lead atop the AL Central and are now setting their sights on a World Series championship. Their deadline moves reflected that, as they landed star closer Craig Kimbrel from the crosstown Cubs in exchange for young second baseman Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer.

With Kimbrel joining Liam Hendriks in the back-end of the bullpen, the Sox have the best 8-9 inning combo in the league. They also managed to add another Cubs reliever, veteran Ryan Tepera, who can pitch in big spots, as well as a new starting second baseman Cesar Hernandez, acquired from the Indians.

The White Sox can look at the Cubs to see how quickly a World Series window can close, so making aggressive moves at the deadline in order to win is the right call. The trade for Kimbrel shows out, and now the Sox have as good of a shot as any team to win the championship.

Loser - Boston Red Sox

The Yankees added sluggers Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo, the Rays brought in the veteran Nelson Cruz, and the Blue Jays acquired an ace in Jose Berrios. Meanwhile, the Red Sox settled for Nationals outfielder Kyle Schwarber, currently on the IL, and disappointing Twins reliever Hansel Robles.

Schwarber went on a tear in June, blasting 16 of his 23 home runs before being shelved with a hamstring strain. When he returns, he’ll likely be tasked with playing first base, a position Boston has struggled at all season. As for Robles, he likely won’t be anything more than middle relief help, as he comes to the Red Sox with an ERA close to 5.

The key for the Red Sox will be Schwarber returning soon and getting hot, as already they have let their hold on first place slip since the deadline. Still, it was disheartening for Boston to see all of their biggest competitors get sizably better and for their moves to start paying dividends.

Winner - Atlanta Braves

Even though the Mets and Nationals grabbed a lot more headlines within the NL East, the Braves very quietly made some strong moves. Since losing Ronald Acuna Jr. to injury and Marcell Ozuna to legal troubles and injury, Atlanta added veteran outfielders Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler, and Eddie Rosario from the Marlins, Royals, and Indians, respectively.

Those new outfielders, along with the previously acquired Joc Pederson, give Atlanta a solid outfield that helps them compete now and doesn't gut them for the future. They also made a last-second deal for Pirates closer Richard Rodriguez, a rock-solid addition to the back end of the bullpen.

The moves the Braves made should keep their hopes of winning the division alive, even if they are a bunch of two-month rentals. But their aggressiveness makes them deadline winners.

Loser - Cincinnati Reds

The Reds weren’t totally silent during the past week, adding bullpen arms in the form of Rockies veteran Mychal Givens and Yankees relievers Luis Cessa and Justin Wilson. Still, for a team hoping to make the postseason, the moves felt a little underwhelming as a whole.

Cincy has gotten lackluster production out of their infielders this year and could’ve tried to pursue someone like Javier Baez as a result. Or maybe another corner outfielder to help out with team MVP Nick Castellanos on the IL. Instead, they addressed the bullpen, which while necessary wasn’t improved a ton with the acquisition of those three vets, particularly the two former Yankees.

For Cincinnati to chase down the Brewers and win the NL Central, more was needed at the deadline. So although they made slight improvements, the Reds are still considered a deadline loser.