The MLB offseason was full of major trades, but not all trades work out as expected. Plenty of big names were moved in the offseason, but not all of those players have thrived in their new homes. Here’s a look at how some of the biggest trades have shaped up early in the season.
The Chicago Cubs Acquire Edward Cabrera the From Miami Marlins
Full Trade: The Cubs acquired Edward Cabrera for Owen Caissie (Cubs’ No. 1 prospect, MLB Pipeline’s No. 47 prospect), Cristian Hernandez (Cubs’ No. 11 prospect) and Edgardo De Leon.
Cabrera has been as advertised for the Cubs, who are holding on to a slim lead in the National League Central. In the midst of all of the pitching injuries in Chicago, Cabrera has remained healthy. He has a 3.88 ERA in eight starts and his offspeed stuff has been some of the best in the game. He has a 36.1% chase Arte, which ranks in the 91st percentile.
The headline piece going back to Miami was Caissie. He was the Cubs’ top prospect at the time, but his bat has not found much success in the big leagues yet. He is hitting just .208 so far and has 49 strikeouts in 106 at-bats. Hernandez is now the Marlins’ No. 15 prospect, dropping three spots in the latest rankings. De Leon is struggling in the Florida Complex League, hitting .222 in seven games.
Winner So Far: Cubs
New York Mets Acquire Freddy Peralta From Milwaukee Brewers
Full Trade: New York Mets acquire Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers for Jett Williams (Mets’ No. 3 prospect, MLB Pipeline’s No. 30 prospect) and Brandon Sproat (Mets’ No. 5 prospect).
Peralta was a two-time All-Star for the Brewers, but he was one year away from free agency. For star pitchers in Milwaukee, that usually means it’s time to pack your bags. The Mets landed a new ace, but it cost them a top 100 prospect and two top-five prospects at the time. Peralta has a 3.10 ERA in nine starts, but has struggled to go past the fifth inning. That’s been the case for most of his career, however.
Overall, Peralta has been a great addition for the Mets. They will likely try to extend him or re-sign him. For the Brewers, Sproat has looked better with every start, but is still a work in progress. Williams is in Triple-A, but is hitting .317 with a .896 in May. The Brewers need infield help, so he could get called up soon. Sproat has a 3.86 ERA in his last five starts, but has a long way to go before he is a finished product.
Winner So Far: Mets
New York Yankees Acquire Ryan Weathers From Miami Marlins
Full Trade: Yankees acquire Ryan Weathers for Brendan Jones (Yankees’ No. 15 prospect), Dillon Lewis (Yankees’ No. 16 prospect), Dylan Jasso (Yankees’ No. 23 prospect) and Juan Matheus.
The Yankees gave up four prospects, three of which were in their top 30 at the time to acquire Weathers. The Yankees knew they would be without Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole to start the season, so they needed some depth.
Weathers has a 3.00 ERA through eight starts and has been one of the Yankees’ best starters. Even though Rodón is back and Cole is getting close, Weathers could stick in the rotation. He has made a significant impact for the Yankees, who have the second-best record in the American League.
As for the Marlins, they landed four talented prospects who could make a real impact down the line. However, it’s hard to tell if they won the trade or not yet. Adding prospects is important for a team like the Marlins, so they accomplished something in that department, but none of the prospects are even past Double-A yet.
Winner So Far: Yankees
Boston Red Sox Acquire Caleb Durbin From Milwaukee Brewers
Full Trade: Red Sox acquire Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler and Competitive Balance Round B Draft pick for Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton and Shane Drohan.
In a deal that included six players, Durbin was the headliner. He was a National League Rookie of the Year candidate last season, and the Red Sox acquired him to replace Alex Bregman. Harrison was a piece they acquired from trading Rafael Devers, but so far, he is looking like the best player in the deal.
At the time, Durbin was the best player in the trade. However, Harrison has been one of the best pitchers in the National League so far, and Durbin has been one of the worst hitters in all of baseball. Durbin is hitting .172 with an OPS of .509. While he looked like a solid hitter with great ability to pull the ball in the air on the Brewers, he has been a disaster at the plate for the Red Sox.
His defense looks great, but if he can’t hit, he won’t be in the lineup for long. Meanwhile, Harrison is the latest product of the Brewers’ pitching lab. He has a 2.09 ERA in eight starts. His strikeout rate of 30% is in the 91st percentile. He does not give up hard hits and has been the Brewers’ second-best starter. The Brewers moved him to the first base side of the rubber and are seeing great results.
Monasterio is a solid utility piece and Seigler is organizational depth at best. Meanwhile, Hamilton and Drohan are big league contributors in Milwaukee. Hamilton’s speed has changed games for the Brewers. He has eight stolen bases and leads all of baseball in bunt hits. He does not have a great average, but plays the brand of baseball the Brewers like. Dorhan is the Brewers’ No. 23 prospect and has become a multi-inning weapon out of the bullpen.
Winner So Far: Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Deal
Full Trade: Pirates acquire Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery from Tampa Bay Rays, Rays acquire Jacob Melton (Astros’ No. 3 prospect) and Anderson Brito (Astros’ No. 7 prospect) from Houston Astros, Astros receive Mike Burrows from Pirates.
The Pirates parted with Burrows to add a starting second baseman and talented outfielder and a solid left-handed pitcher. Burrows has struggled in Houston, posting a 5.72 ERA in nine starts. Meanwhile, Mangum, Lowe and Montgomery have all been great for Pittsburgh.
Lowe was an All-Star last season and has a .878 OPS in 38 games. He has 10 home runs and is one of the best hitters on the team. Mangum has continued to struggle with power, but his speed, defense and bat-to-ball skills are still helping the Pirates. He has a .260 average and is a solid bench player.
Montgomery has made three starts and 17 total appearances this season. He has a 2.70 ERA and has posted a 14.0 strikeouts per nine innings. He served as an opener in all three of his starts and has become a Swiss army knife out of the bullpen.
Winner So Far: Pirates
Photo: New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) leaves during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Friday, April 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
