MLB Trade Deadline Review: AL East Grades

The Major League Baseball trade deadline on Tuesday saw 31 deals made, with clubs getting their last chance to plug holes and improve their chances at making the postseason or to sell and get young prospects from contenders for those on expiring contracts.

In spite of the number of playoff teams being increased this season, the deadline saw teams still in the race for a wildcard spot sticking to their rebuild plan by shipping out key players, while other clubs that should have moved out pending free agents stood pat.

Here is what clubs in the AL East did before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

New York Yankees

Deadline Needs – Outfielder, Pitching (Starter, Relief)

Additions – Andrew Benintendi, Harrison Bader, Frankie Montas, Scott Effross, Lou Trivino

Yankees GM Brian Cashman seemed to cover all the bases on his wish list, leaving nothing to chance. The injuries to starter Luis Severino and reliever Michael King necessitated adding arms and New York was able to snag one of the most sought-after starters on the market in Montas and bullpen arms in Trivino and Effross without giving up one of the organization’s top prospects.

The Bombers were able to dispatch the ineffective Joey Gallo to the LA Dodgers, but the puzzling move was to deal quality rotation depth in Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals for injured outfielder Bader.

Grade – A

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Toronto Blue Jays

Deadline Needs – Pitching (Starter, Relief)

Additions – Whit Merrifield, Zach Pop, Anthony Bass, Mitch White

The Jays unexpectedly added a versatile veteran bat in Merrifield from Kansas City, but the 33-year-old is another righty in a predominantly right-handed hitting lineup. GM Ross Atkins underwhelmed in addressing his pitching needs, acquiring a depth starter in White from the Dodgers, and reinforcing his pen with an inexperienced Pop and ex-Jay Bass in a deal with Miami.

Grade – B-

Tampa Bay Rays

Deadline Needs – Catcher, Outfield

Additions – David Peralta, Jose Siri

The Rays sacrificed a pair of pitching prospects in a three-way deal with Baltimore and Houston to land Siri (a 24-year-old center fielder who will replace injured outfielder Kevin Kiermaier) and a veteran corner outfielder Peralta from Arizona (to provide depth with Manuel Margot out), but Tampa did not fill the hole behind the plate with Mike Zunino out for the season and Francisco Meija on the IL.

Grade – B+

Boston Red Sox

Moved – Christian Vazquez, Jake Diekman

Additions – Eric Hosmer, Tommy Pham, Reese McGuire

The deals (or lack thereof) of the last-place Red Sox at the deadline left many puzzled, as there was constant chatter of them shopping bats J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and experienced pitchers such as Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Wacha. Instead, Boston swapped out catcher Vazquez to Houston for a pair of prospects, acquired McGuire as a replacement, added Pham from Cincinnati for a player to be named later, and became a landing spot for Hosmer, who blocked a move to Washington as part of the Juan Soto deal and will have San Diego pay some salary of the three remaining years on his contract.

Grade – B-

Baltimore Orioles

Moved – Trey Mancini, Jorge Lopez

Addition – Brett Phillips

The Orioles are in a race for a playoff spot for the first time in what seems like forever, but that did not stop GM Mike Elias from dealing a veteran hitter on an expiring contract in Mancini to Houston and more surprisingly closer Lopez to Minnesota, who is having a career year (19 saves, 1.68 ERA) and is retainable for two more seasons. Baltimore added Phillips after he was designated for assignment by Tampa, but clearly, the O’s moves are indicative of a club that believes it is a few years away from being in the postseason mix.

Grade – C