Yesterday, the trade deadline kicked off as 12 trades took place very close to the deadline. Here is a recap of all the big trades that happened yesterday.
Rangers trade RHP Michael Lorenzon to the Kansas City Royals for LHP Walter Pennington.
This may look like a waving of the white flag for Texas, but it is not. Lorenzen is on an expiring contract, and the Rangers are getting Jon Gray, Tyler Mahle, and Jacob DeGrom reinstated from the Injury List sometime soon. This allows the Rangers to free up a roster spot while aiming to make the playoffs. The Royals, in exchange, get a versatile guy like Lorenzen, who can shore up the back end of the rotation or move to the bullpen.
Dodgers trade RHP Ricky Vanasco to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations.
The Dodgers made their first move yesterday when they traded righty reliever Ricky Vanasco to the Tigers for cash. Vanasco, who is 25 and has only pitched two innings for the Dodgers this season, freed up a 40-man spot for the Dodgers and replaced Carson Kelly’s 40-man spot for the Tigers. This allowed the Dodgers to make other moves and filled a relief spot for the Tigers, who looked to be sellers.
Mariners trade Ty France and cash considerations to the Cincinnati Reds for Andruw Salcedo
Whenever a former All-Star is moved at the deadline, people take notice. However, Seattle designated France for assignment on July 23 due to a .662 OPS and, therefore, was moved six days later. The Reds pick up the talented 30-year-old France in the hope that he can regain his 2022 form. They only had to give up a Single-A catcher in the switch-hitting Salcedo and, in return, received not only France but cash considerations. The Mariners dump the struggling France, and the Reds fill a hole for very cheap.
White Sox trade RHP Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham to the St. Louis Cardinals and RHP Michael Kopech to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cardinals trade INF Tommy Edman and RHP prospect Oliver Gonzales to the Dodgers, and the Chicago White Sox acquire prospects Cuban outfielder Miguel Vargas, Alexander Albertus, and Jeral Perez in a three-team trade.
The White Sox make their first big sell of the deadline and, in return, acquire three young players. Chicago will not be a contender for the foreseeable future, so they bolster up their farm with international talent and trade expiring contracts. The Dodgers get talent for the back end of the bullpen with Kopech and great defensive versatility with Edman. And the Cardinals land a soft buy, only giving up a middling Edman and minor leaguer Gonzales in exchange for a starter having a great year in Fedde and a reunion with former Cardinal Tommy Pham.
Red Sox trade infield prospect Nick Yorke to the Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Quinn Priester
Priester, a former high-level prospect for the Pirates, has not yet figured out how to translate to the Major League level. Priester is the odd man out with the Pirates young rotation succeeding this year. The Red Sox seem to believe they can unlock his potential, so they send Triple-A middle infield prospect Nick Yorke to Pittsburgh. Yorke has been great in Triple-A, hitting .310 to the tune of a .898 OPS in 30 games after being promoted from Double-A.
Blue Jays trade infielder Justin Turner to the Seattle Mariners for OF RJ Schreck
Still valuable, the 39-year-old Turner heads to a team urgently needing offense. Seattle ranks 27th in team OPS, while Turner has been above league average. The slugger can slot in at first base, third base, or designated hitter as an everyday player for a contending Mariners squad.
Nationals trade outfielder Lane Thomas to the Cleveland Guardians for LHP prospect Alex Clemmey and infield prospects Rafael Ramirez and Jose Tena.
Lane Thomas was a clear trade piece this deadline, and he ended up with a contending Guardians team that needed help in the outfield. The Nationals get a decent haul in return, made up of a large left-handed flamethrower in Clemmey and two young Dominican infielders. The Guardians add a helpful piece in the outfield to their great season.
The Blue Jays traded LHP Yusei Kikuchi to the Houston Astros for RHP Jake Bloss, outfielder Joey Loperfido, and infielder Will Wagner.
Yusei Kikuchi is a one-time All-Star and will be a good addition to the Astros’ starting rotation. Kikuchi had a very good season in Toronto last year but has regressed as the Blue Jays have struggled. He provides reliable innings and has great talent that the Astros could possibly fully unlock. The Blue Jays got three solid players in return, including Jake Bloss, who was scheduled to start last night for the Astros and was pulled to be traded.
Rays trade outfielder Amed Rosario to the Los Angeles Dodgers for RHP prospect Michael Flynn.
Rosario returns to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second trade deadline in a row. The eight-year veteran is hitting over .300 and having one of his best seasons as a pro. Only 28, he provides depth in the infield and outfield for the Dodgers. Michael Flynn goes to Tampa, and the Rays look to continue to develop the 27-year-old right-handed reliever.
Pirates trade LHP prospect Luis Peralta to the Colorado Rockies for LHP Jalen Beeks.
The reliever market is always volatile, and Jalen Beeks shows that in his ups and downs. Beeks had a 2.80 ERA in 61 innings for the Rays in 2022 but has a 4.74 ERA this year pitching in Coors Field. The Pirates add a lefty to their bullpen for their stretch run and send back 23-year-old Luis Peralta, younger brother of Brewers’ ace Freddy Peralta. Luis Peralta has been very good between Single-A and Double-A, pitching to a 0.91 ERA and 64 strikeouts with a 4-0 record in 39.2 innings.
Reds trade RHP Frankie Montas to the Milwaukee Brewers for RHP Jakob Junis, outfielder Joey Wiemer and cash considerations.
In an inter-division trade consisting of three MLB players, the Brewers add a starter to help fix some of the holes left in their rotation due to injuries. Montas has a 5.01 ERA this year but had some very good seasons in Oakland not too long ago. The Reds get a pitcher who has had a solid year in the Junis and a young defensive outfielder named Joey Wiemer. The Reds are only five games back of a Wild Card spot, and the Brewers are first in the NL Central, so both teams could utilize these players to get to the postseason.
Giants trade outfielder Jorge Soler and RHP Luke Jackson to the Atlanta Braves for LHP Tyler Matzek and infield prospect Sabin Ceballos.
Soler goes to the Braves once again. The 2021 World Series MVP signed a three-year, 42 million-dollar contract with the Giants this past offseason. He was an All-Star last year in Miami and has been good this season in San Francisco. The Braves needed outfield help, and they got one of the fanbase’s most beloved players in recent memory. They also get former Brave Luke Jackson, who has a career 3.93 ERA in five seasons with the Braves. The Giants get Soler’s contract off the books as well as a lefty reliever in Tyler Matzek and third baseman Sabin Ceballos from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The MLB Trade deadline is 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today, July 30.
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Photo Credit: Jorge Soler #2 of the San Francisco Giants rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park on July 26, 2024 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
