With so many players coming and going at such a dizzying pace, it can be tough to keep track of everything happening during the MLB Trade Deadline. There’s so much activity in such a short amount of time that it can feel overwhelming, especially with deals going down to the wire and terms changing at the last minute.
As teams race to finish their shopping lists before the deadline, we’ll keep you updated with all the moves you need to know about, big and small. Trade deadlines can be chaotic, but we’ll try to keep things orderly here.
All MLB betting odds are current as of Tuesday, Aug. 1, from Caesars Sportsbook.
MLB Trade Deadline Tracker 2023
Justin Verlander acquired by Astros (Aug. 1)
From Mets for Drew Gilbert (minors) and Ryan Clifford (minors).
The Astros decided to go all-in for another championship run by acquiring Justin Verlander from the New York Mets in exchange for two of their top prospects.
Verlander has easily been the biggest difference-maker to be moved during the trade deadline and should put Houston in a strong position to push for a BYE in the playoffs.
Since June 26, the future Hall of Famer has posted an incredible 1.49 ERA over 42.1 innings with a 3.18 FIP.
Once healthy, the Astros will be a very dangerous threat to win the World Series once again, making it our MLB bet of the day.
Jack Flaherty acquired by Orioles (Aug. 1)
From Cardinals for Cesar Prieto, Drew Rom, and Zack Showalter.
The Orioles made their big move of the trade deadline on Tuesday by acquiring Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty.
Over 20 outings this season, the 27-year-old carries a 4.43 ERA and 4.22 FIP with a 1.55 WHIP. However, Flaherty posted a 3.30 ERA during the month of July and has the talent to elevate the Baltimore rotation.
Michael Lorenzen acquired by Phillies (Aug. 1)
From Tigers for Hao-Yu Lee (minors).
The Phillies made an upgrade to their starting rotation by adding Tigers right-hander Michael Lorenzen to the mix on Tuesday.
Over 105.2 innings, the 31-year-old carries a 3.58 ERA and 3.88 FIP with a .229 batting average against.
However, this is the most innings Lorenzen has thrown in the majors since 2015, so it remains to be seen if the right-hander will wear down toward the end of the season.
Aaron Civale acquired by Rays (July 31)
From Guardians for Kyle Manzardo (minors).
After losing kep starting pitchers to injury, including Jeffrey Springs, the Rays finally made a needed upgrade to their starting rotation by acquiring Aaron Civale.
The 28-year-old boasts a 2.34 ERA over 77 innings with a 3.55 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, and a .204 batting average against. Civale should provide the Rays with dependable and predictable innings down the stretch and in the postseason.
That said, Civale better deliver because the cost to acquire him was not cheap. Kyle Manzardo has advanced plate discipline and is exactly the kind of power bat the Guardians have been looking for in their farm system.
Either way, this addition by the Rays should bolster their postseason aspirations.
Paul Sewald acquired by Diamondbacks (July 31)
From Mariners for Dominic Canzone, Josh Rojas, and Ryan Bliss.
The Mariners have decided to reboot their roster in an attempt to maintain long-term success. In doing so, they traded closer Paul Sewald to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arizona gets a much-needed arm for the back end of their below-average bullpen. Sewald should immediately take over ninth-inning duties for the DBacks, while Andrés Muñoz will likely take over the closer’s role in Seattle.
Sewald carries a 2.93 ERA and 1.94 xERA over 43 innings with a 35.5% strikeout rate and a 1.02 WHIP.
Jeimer Candelario acquired by Cubs (July 31)
From Nationals for Kevin Made (minors) and DJ Herz (minors).
The Jeimer Candelario trade signals that the Cubs are going to be going for it this season, or at the very least, rewarding their fans with a run for the postseason.
The 29-year-old should provide the Chicago lineup with some depth. Candelario is batting .258/.342/.481 over 419 plate appearances with 16 home runs and 53 RBI.
C.J. Cron & Randal Grichuk acquired by Angels (July 30)
From Rockies for Jake Madden and Mason Albright
The Angels made a huge move to improve their offense by bringing back to hitters that were originally drafted by the team.
Cron and Grichuk will give Los Angeles a much-needed boost after losing Taylor Ward (face) for the season.
The Halos remain a longshot to hit the postseason, but they are certainly making a healthy effort after already trading for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López.
Cron is batting .258/.301/.469 over 229 plate appearances with 11 home runs, while Grichuk carries a .307/.363/.504 slash line over 65 games with a 119 wRC+.
Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton acquired by Rangers (July 30)
From Cardinals for Thomas Saggese (minors), Tekoah Roby (minors), and John King.
The Rangers make a second major addition to their starting rotation by adding Jordan Montgomery from the Cardinals. The southpaw is very consistent and should provide Texas with reliable innings in a fragile starting five.
Montgomery boasts a 3.42 ERA over 121 frames with a 3.76 FIP.
In addition, Texas acquired veteran reliever Chris Stratton (3.06 FIP) as another arm in the bullpen.
Max Scherzer acquired by Rangers (July 29)
From Mets for Luisangel Acuña (minors)
The Rangers made their first big move of the trade deadline by acquiring right-hander Max Scherzer from the New York Mets.
After losing Jacob deGrom earlier in the season to injury, the Rangers became desperate for starting pitching after Nathan Eovaldi (forearm) was placed on the IL this weekend.
Scherzer has had a disappointing season by his own standards, posting a 4.01 ERA and 4.73 FIP over 107.2 innings. This marks his worst season since 2011, when he was with the Detroit Tigers.
Velocity concerns and overall ineffectiveness may prevent the future Hall of Famer from providing the boost that Texas is hoping for. Still, his experience may prove invaluable on a young Rangers team.
In addition, the Rangers added left-hander Jordan Montgomery on July 30 to further bolster their injured rotation. This should give their AL Pennant hopes a push.
Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly acquired by Dodgers (July 28)
From White Sox for Trayce Thompson, Nick Nastrini (minors), and Jordan Leasure (minors)
The Dodgers will put their pitching development to the test when they try to salvage a catastrophic season for Lance Lynn.
Over 21 outings, the 36-year-old carries a 6.47 ERA and 5.22 FIP with a 2.69 batting average against and a 1.46 WHIP.
Lynn could prove to be a valuable addition down the stretch in a change of scenery can get the veteran back on track.
David Robertson acquired by Marlins (July 27)
From Mets for Marco Vargas (minors) and Ronald Hernandez (minors)
The Marlins traded away a pair of intriguing low-level prospects in order to lock down a legitimate closer in David Robertson.
Over 44 innings this season, the 38-year-old boasts a stellar 2.05 ERA and 2.99 xERA with a 27.9% strikeout rate, and 1.00 WHIP, and a .197 batting average against.
The trade offers a modest bump to Miami’s postseason hopes, but also signals the unofficial end to the Mets season, with more trades likely on the way in Queens.
Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López acquired by Angels (July 26)
From White Sox for Edgar Quero (minors) and Ky Bush (minors)
On the day Angels owner Arte Moreno announced the team would not be trading Shohei Ohtani, they immediately made a splash by upgrading their starting rotation.
Lucas Giolito has posted a 3.79 ERA and 4.46 FIP over 21 starts this season with a 25.8% strikeout rate. The right-hander will presumably take over Jaime Barría‘s spot in the Angels rotation, pushing him into long relief.
If the Angels are genuinely going “all-in" for their last hurrah with Ohtani, they could be worth a sleeper pick for the postseason.
You can find odds at +4000 right now for Los Angeles to win the pennant, making it our MLB bet of the day.
Amed Rosario acquired by Dodgers (July 26)
From Guardians for Noah Syndergaard
I know the Guardians have a reputation for pitching development, but they may have their hands full with Noah Syndergaard.
The 30-year-old carries a 7.16 ERA and 5.54 FIP over 12 outings with an 11.8% K-BB rate and a .307 batting average against. This move certainly does nothing to improve their postseason odds.
However, the Dodgers come away with an interesting player in Amed Rosario. After losing Gavin Lux (knee) during spring training, Los Angeles has struggled to find production at the shortstop position.
While the 27-year-old has struggled at times this season, a change of scenery and an upgraded supporting cast could turn Rosario into a valuable asset for the Dodgers.
The infielder is batting .265 with three home runs and nine stolen bases over 412 plate appearances.
More MLB Trade Deadline Deals 2023
- Brewers acquire Carlos Santana from Pirates for Jhonny Severino (minors)
- Blue Jays acquire Jordan Hicks from Cardinals for Sem Robberse (minors) and Adam Kloffenstein (minors).
- Astros acquire Kendall Graveman from White Sox for Korey Lee (minors).
- Braves acquire Nicky Lopez from Royals for Taylor Hearn.
- Brewers acquire Mark Canha from Mets for Justin Jarvis (minors).
- Giants acquire A.J. Pollock and Mark Mathis from Mariners for a PTBNL and cash.
- Reds acquire Sam Moll from Mariners for Joe Boyle.
- Cubs acquire José Cuas from Royals for Nelson Velázquez.
- Diamondbacks acquire Jace Peterson from Athletics for Chad Patrick.
- Rays acquire Adrian Sampson, Manny Rodriguez, and IFA money from Cubs for Josh Roberson.
- Braves acquire Brand Hand from Rockies for Alec Barger.
- Padres acquire Rich Hill and Ji-Man Choi from Pirates for Jackson Wolf, Estuar Suero, and Alfonso Rivas.
- Blue Jays acquire Paul DeJong from Cardinals for Matt Svanson.
- Mariners acquire Eduard Bazardo from Orioles for Logan Rinehart.
- Brewers acquire Andrew Chafin from Diamondbacks for PTBNL.
- Marlins acquire Jake Burger from White Sox for Jake Eder.
- Rangers acquire Austin Hedges from Pirates for IFA money.
- Padres acquire Garrett Cooper and Sean Reynolds from Marlins for Ryan Weathers.
- Dodgers acquire Ryan Yarbrough from Royals for Devin Mann and Derlin Figueroa.
- Diamondbacks acquire Tommy Pham from Mets for Jeremy Rodriguez.
- Red Sox acquire Luis Urias from Brewers for Bradley Blalock.
- Marlins acquire Josh Bell from Guardians for Jean Segura and Khalil Watson.
Why the MLB Trade Deadline matters for betting
The regular season is more than halfway over by the time the MLB Trade Deadline rolls around, but it can still significantly affect teams’ postseason odds. While teams are still able to call up prospects when rosters expand in September, the trade deadline represents their last chance to acquire established talent in-season.
The baseball season is a grind, and even the best teams deal with attrition and injuries, especially to pitchers. Accordingly, contenders that address their weaknesses midseason give themselves a better chance to remain competitive down the stretch, reach the postseason, and potentially win the World Series.
Oftentimes, a key hitter or pitcher acquired in July becomes even more important during the playoffs, when teams shorten their benches, use fewer starting pitchers, and are quicker to go to their bullpens. General managers can thus use the trade deadline to put the finishing touches on a championship-caliber roster.
On the flip side, teams that either don’t do enough to plug their leaks or actively trade away talent run the risk of falling behind in the standings. Even if they do make the postseason, they may ultimately fall short if they don’t have enough depth to carry them through October.
As such, the trade deadline can have a considerable effect on futures odds. Teams that stock up on talent tend to have shorter postseason and championship odds after the deadline, while teams that sell or stand still see their odds get longer.
So if you think a contender is going to be active buyers at the deadline, you may want to lock in your futures bets before players start switching teams. Because once they do, the odds may never be that good again.
When is the MLB Trade Deadline?
According to the newly agreed-upon CBA earlier in 2022, the MLB commissioner — Rob Manfred or someone else — can instruct to mark the MLB Trade Deadline on a date between July 28 and Aug. 3.
The most common date in recent memory for the MLB Trade Deadline has been July 31. However, if that date falls on the weekend, as it does in 2022, the MLB’s league office will often push to a later date.
In a 2019 rule change, MLB ruled that no players placed on waivers can be traded after that first and only deadline date.
