MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
TRADE DEADLINE WINNERS & LOSERS: PADRES, M’S SERIOUS ABOUT SERIES PUSH
The World Series is always the motivator when teams pursue trades at the deadline. The chance at a first title in franchise history only serves to double that inspiration.
Neither the Seattle Mariners nor San Diego Padres have won it all, and both acted as if they were ready to part with decades of futility this past week. The Mariners have never even appeared in a World Series, much less win one.
The Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and New York Yankees all have titles but showed at the deadline they are ready to add to the trophy case.
Another arresting deadline day unfolded Thursday with twists, turns and a blockbuster reunion. But starting pitching, which is always valued at trade season, was not a big mover in recent days outside of a few solid arms.
WINNERS
Houston Astros
The Astros did not land the largest haul at the deadline but ended up making the most earth-shaking move when shortstop Carlos Correa was reacquired. Correa not only felt it was time to move on when the Minnesota front office hatched a plan to sell off talent, he had just one team he wanted to join — and credit to the Twins for making it happen. Correa is set to move to third base when Jeremy Pena returns from a rib injury. Houston also added the left-handed bat it was looking for in Jesus Sanchez from the Miami Marlins and infielder Ramon Urias also was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles.
San Diego Padres
One day the Padres will run out of desirable prospects in order to make trades, but Thursday was not that day. San Diego also was a deadline winner last season but flamed out in the division series. The front office showed it is not deterred, getting one of the top available closers in right-hander Mason Miller, along with lefty JP Sears, from the Athletics. On the offensive side, Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano are on the way from the Orioles, and catcher Freddy Fermin was acquired from the Kansas City Royals. They even added veteran lefty Nestor Cortes. The championship chase is wide open, and the Padres are in it.
Seattle Mariners
One of the top starting staffs in baseball now has one of the top run producers supporting it, as the Mariners added the best power bat available in Eugenio Suarez and his 36 homers. Suarez hit 53 home runs across 2022 and 2023 with Seattle and could match that number this year alone, and he leads the majors with 87 RBIs. First baseman Josh Naylor arrived from the Cleveland Guardians last week and left-hander Caleb Ferguson was added to the bullpen Thursday in a deal with the Pirates. The Mariners went into the weekend 12th in MLB in runs scored and should only get better.
Honorable mentions: The Phillies added some Twins talent in right-hander Jhoan Duran and outfielder Harrison Bader to a club in the mix for an NL East title. … The New York Mets added center fielder Cedric Mullins, right-handed closer Ryan Helsey and right-handed setup man Tyler Rogers in an impressive haul. … The New York Yankees now have more closers than anybody with the additions of David Bednar and Camilo Doval, to add to Devin Williams and Luke Weaver.
LOSERS
Los Angeles Angels
Stuck in the mud at another deadline, the Angels were neither buyers nor sellers again, unless the additions of relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia count. The Angels sent Garcia to the Boston Red Sox at last year’s deadline. They also added Yankees infielder Oswald Peraza in a move that isn’t expected to be impactful. What they didn’t do is find a buyer for a number of players on expiring contracts, like right-hander Kenley Jansen, left-hander Tyler Anderson and infielder Luis Rengifo. Power-hitting left fielder Taylor Ward should have been desirable with another year of club control remaining. Imagine if the Angels traded Shohei Ohtani when they had the chance. They would be further along than their current nine games out of first place.
Milwaukee Brewers
In a season when the Brewers added dynamic right-hander Jacob Misiorowski to the rotation, are battling the Cubs for a division title and went 6-0 against the defending champion Dodgers, there is excitement in Brew City. Milwaukee could have used a power bat but an offensive upgrade was not to be found. They did land a reliever in Shelby Miller for a taxed bullpen and starter Jordan Montgomery, but he’s out for the year. The Brewers will have to be happy with earlier additions like right-hander Quinn Priester in April, first baseman Andrew Vaughn in June and catcher Danny Jansen earlier in the week.
Los Angeles Dodgers
With left field and the back end of the bullpen glaring needs during an injury-riddled season, the Dodgers showed rare deadline restraint and made only modest moves in both areas. Right-hander Brock Stewart will return to the organization to help a shaky bullpen, while they turned to Washington’s Alex Call in the outfield. They traded starter Dustin May to the Red Sox for prospects. The Dodgers do have a number of stars set to return from injury in Max Muncy, Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Michael Kopech and Enrique Hernandez, after Blake Treinen came back this week. But only two months remain to find somebody they trust in the ninth inning.
Honorable mentions: The Detroit Tigers went into deadline day with one of the best records in baseball yet still needed some rotation help. Were Chris Paddack and 41-year-old Charlie Morton enough? … Twins outfielder Byron Buxton expressed his loyalty to the Twins, so he stayed while half of the roster around him was traded away. … With no desire to sell during a dead-end season, when the pitching staff was crushed by injuries, the Atlanta Braves stood still and bid farewell to October in the process.
MLB TRADE DEADLINE TRACKER: PADRES ADD MASON MILLER, JAYS TRADE FOR SHANE BIEBER IN FINAL HOURS
The San Diego Padres added hard-throwing closer Mason Miller and the Toronto Blue Jays dealt for former Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber in a flurry of moves before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline on Thursday.
The recent swaps are on top of several deals over the past few days — including the Mariners landing slugger Eugenio Suarez — but several big names could still be on the move, including Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller, Cleveland’s Steven Kwan and Arizona pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.
MLB’s trade deadline is at 6 p.m. EDT. on Thursday.
Padres add All-Star Mason Miller, lefty JP Sears from Athletics
The 26-year-old Miller is one of the game’s top relievers and has a fastball that averages more than 101 mph. The 2024 All-Star has 20 saves in 23 opportunities, a 3.76 ERA and 59 strikeouts this season. He’s under team control through 2029.
The Padres also added JP Sears, a lefty who has a 7-9 record and 4.95 ERA this season, striking out 95 batters over 22 starts.
San Diego sent the A’s a package of prospects, including highly-regarded shortstop Leo De Vries and right-handed pitchers Henry Baez, Braden Nett and Eduarniel Nunez.
Shane Bieber off to Blue Jays, nearing MLB return
Bieber is headed to the AL East-leading Blue Jays in a deal with the rebuilding Cleveland Guardians, who also dealt right-hander Paul Sewald in the division to the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers.
Bieber, who is working his way back from April 2024 Tommy John surgery, has made five rehab starts. His most recent outing was Tuesday for Double-A Akron, in which he allowed one run on three hits and struck out seven in four innings. His next rehab start was scheduled for Sunday.
The Guardians are getting right-hander Khal Stephen from the Blue Jays.
Bieber had spent his entire career in Cleveland, including winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2020. He has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA and 958 strikeouts in 136 games, with 134 starts since his debut in 2018.
He agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract last fall with a $16 million player option for 2026.
Tigers pry closer Kyle Finnegan from Nationals
AL Central-leading Detroit acquired Kyle Finnegan from Washington for two prospects, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade wasn’t announced.
The 33-year-old Finnegan was an All-Star in 2024 but his velocity has been down this season. He has 20 saves with a 4.38 ERA in 2025.
The Nats received minor league pitchers Josh Randall and R.J. Sales, Detroit’s third and 10th round draft picks from 2024, respectively.
Cubs add more pitching, trade for Andrew Kittredge from Orioles
The Cubs continued seek help on the mound, adding right-hander Andrew Kittredge from the Baltimore Orioles one day after agreeing to a deal with the Washington Nationals for righty Michael Soroka.
The 35-year-old Kittredge was an All-Star in 2021 and has a 3.44 ERA over nine seasons. The reliever has a 3.45 ERA in 31 games this season. He signed a $9 million, one-year deal with Baltimore last offseason that includes a $9 million club option for 2026 with a $1 million buyout.
Other deals, notes
— The Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Hunter Feduccia from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for right-handed pitcher Paul Gervase, catcher Ben Rortvedt and left-handed pitcher Adam Serwinowski.
— The 35-year-old Sewald — who is headed to Detroit in a trade with Cleveland — is eligible to return from the injured list on Sunday after being shut down with a strained right shoulder. He is 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA in 18 games this season, averaging more than one strikeout each inning.
— Baltimore put right-hander Zach Eflin on the injured list with lower back discomfort Thursday. Eflin was a potential trade target, but has made only 14 starts this year and is on an expiring contract.
TIGERS BOLSTER BULLPEN AT TRADE DEADLINE, ACQUIRING FINNEGAN FROM NATS AND SEWALD FROM GUARDIANS
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers are making moves, hoping to increase their chances of winning a World Series for the first time in more than four decades.
Detroit acquired Kyle Finnegan from Washington for two prospects, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press just hours before the trade deadline on Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade wasn’t announced.
The 33-year-old Finnegan was an All-Star in 2024, but his velocity has been down this season. He has 20 saves with a 4.38 ERA in 2025.
Detroit added Paul Sewald earlier in the day, giving the rebuilding Cleveland Guardians cash for the right-handed reliever.
The AL Central-leading Tigers won their fourth straight game with newly acquired starting pitcher Chris Paddack on Wednesday, two days after he was added in a trade with the Minnesota Twins.
Detroit has nearly a double-digit game lead in the division and is vying with Toronto and Houston for the best record in the league.
The Tigers, trying to take advantage of ace Tarik Skubal and a balanced lineup, are aiming for their first World Series title since 1984. Detroit earned a spot in the playoffs last year for the first time in the decade after a late-season surge.
In the trade for Finnegan, the Tigers sent minor league pitchers Josh Randall and R.J. Sales, Detroit’s third and 10th round draft picks from 2024, respectively, to Washington.
The 35-year-old Sewald is eligible to return from the injured list on Sunday after being shut down with a strained right shoulder, but he isn’t expected to pitch until September. He is 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA in 18 games this season, averaging more than one strikeout each inning.
Detroit opens a three-game series Friday night at Philadelphia.
MLB ROUNDUP: BRAVES BEAT REDS AFTER 16-RUN EIGHTH INNING
Marcell Ozuna’s sacrifice fly drove in Matt Olson with the go-ahead run in the 10th inning as the visiting Atlanta Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 12-11 on Thursday night in a wild game in Cincinnati.
After the Braves scored eight runs in the top of the eighth, the Reds followed with eight runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. It was just the third time in major league history that both teams scored eight-plus runs in the same frame, per Elias Sports Bureau.
Pierce Johnson (2-3) didn’t surrender any hits in the ninth to collect the win, and Raisel Iglesias was perfect in the 10th to earn his 13th save in 18 chances. Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies had four hits and two RBIs, and Ozuna contributed a single, three walks and three runs.
Ke’Bryan Hayes and Spencer Steer each had three-run home runs in the Reds’ eight-run eighth inning while Elly De La Cruz hit his first home run since June 23 in the third inning, snapping the longest homer drought of his career.
Yankees 7, Rays 4
Ben Rice hit a three-run homer in the second inning after Giancarlo Stanton blasted a two-run shot in the first as host New York raced out to a seven-run lead and recorded a victory over sliding Tampa Bay.
Yankees starter Marcus Stroman (3-2) allowed four runs on six hits in five innings. Jonathan Loaisiga converted his first save with a shutout ninth as New York won the last three games of the four-game series.
Brandon Lowe had two hits for the Rays, who have lost seven of eight. Ryan Pepiot (6-9) gave up seven runs on six hits in four innings.
Mariners 6, Rangers 0
Cal Raleigh hit his major-league-leading 42nd home run of the season and George Kirby pitched six strong innings as Seattle defeated visiting Texas in the opener of a four-game series.
Kirby (6-5) continued his mastery of the Rangers by allowing just three hits. In 10 career starts against Texas, Kirby is 8-0 with a 1.04 ERA. Rookie Cole Young hit a solo shot and a run-scoring triple for the Mariners.
Texas starter Kumar Rocker (4-5), who was 3-0 over his previous seven starts, gave up three runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings.
