Welcome back! If you’re overwhelmed by all the wheeling and dealing, you’re in the right place. Here’s where we’ll keep you posted each night through the deadline with our news, analysis and grades from every trade between now and Tuesday evening’s MLB trade deadline. If you’re trying to catch up on everything, you can do it article-by-article on our trade deadline module, or here’s last night’s roundup, which covers Thursday through Saturday. Once you’re caught up there, here are all the deals that went down on Sunday.
Jesse Winker from the Washington Nationals to the New York Mets: News on this one began to break Saturday night, but last night’s “all the trades” headline was saved on a technicality: Winker to the Mets was “pending physical” until early Sunday. Winker, an outfielder in his eighth season, played for the Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers before signing with the Nats this year, with whom he has had his best season since departing Cincinnati in the spring of 2022 (.257 average, .793 OPS, including a 2-for-3 performance in his final game with Washington). He’ll provide the Mets the left-handed bat they needed, and will get a chance to hang out with his good friends: Mets fans (at least it wasn’t the Los Angeles Angels?) In return, the Nats got right-handed pitching prospect Tyler Stuart, who has a 3.96 ERA in 17 starts in Double A this year.
(Trade grades)
Jason Adam from Tampa Bay Rays to San Diego Padres: The relief pitching market has firmly been established as seller-friendly this year. In this case, Adam fetched not only a top pitching prospect — RHP Dylan Lesko — but also added OF Homer Bush Jr. and catcher J.D. Gonzalez. For the Padres, who had a seven-game winning streak snapped on Sunday by the Baltimore Orioles, it’s an acknowledgment that they’re in a position to contend this year. That’s not just referring to the wild-card race (they currently sit in the second of three playoff spots), but perhaps an acknowledgment that the Los Angeles Dodgers have not looked nearly as invincible as expected this year. So once you’re in the playoffs … well, you’re gonna need as many lock-down relievers as you can get. Adam qualifies.
As for Lesko, while he hasn’t performed up to expectations in his short time in pro ball, Keith Law writes that the Rays should be “thrilled” to get a chance to buy low on a guy who was — not so long ago — a top-tier pitching prospect.
(Trade grades)
The Cubs moved on from third baseman Christopher Morel. (Peter Aiken / USA Today)
Chicago Cubs, Rays swap third basemen: Isaac Paredes was the top offensive player on our big board this year, and the list of interested teams was believed to have been pretty long. It was, in fact, longer than expected, as the Cubs — they were supposed to be sellers, right? — swooped in, trading incumbent third baseman Christopher Morel, along with RHPs Ty Johnson and Hunter Bigge to the Rays.
Like yesterday’s trade for reliever Nate Pearson, this was as much about the Cubs’ future as it was their present. Morel’s defensive ability at third base was a question in spring training, and it was not answered — at least not in the affirmative — during the regular season. Paredes is an immediate upgrade, and under team control through 2027, so while this season hasn’t been what the Cubs hoped for, at least one question is answered for 2025 and beyond.
(Trade grades)
Carson Kelly from Detroit Tigers to Texas Rangers: It was just three days ago that the Rangers were the talk of the deadline, having surged into the All-Star break, then — after losing a series to the Orioles — sweeping the Chicago White Sox to pull to within 2 1/2 games of the AL West division lead. The Rangers, Ken Rosenthal wrote, were “going for it.”
Perhaps, in retrospect, the excitement of a four-game sweep should be tempered when it’s the White Sox and three of the four games were one-run wins. Texas went to Toronto and was promptly swept by the Blue Jays. At any rate, the acquisition of Kelly is an incremental improvement, giving them a backup catcher with a bit more pop than Andrew Knizner, who had an anemic .394 OPS at the time of trade (Kelly is at .716).
Still, with names like Jacob DeGrom, Josh Jung, Cody Bradford and Tyler Mahle set to come off the IL soon (Evan Carter has had a setback, and isn’t close), perhaps the Rangers are right to see if a late-season surge is imminent.
On the Detroit side, they get two minor-leaguers — catcher Liam Hicks and RHP Tyler Owens, who has eight saves in nine opportunities for Double-A Frisco.
(Trade grades)
Want more? Jim Bowden has a deadline primer from early Sunday to catch you up on the overarching storylines and who might be next to move.
Ken Rosenthal says the Orioles aren’t done, the Kansas City Royals are looking to add a bat, and more.
More Rosenthal: the Rays are running a clinic on how to sell at the deadline.
(Top photo of Jason Adam: Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today)
