Welcome to a special Friday post-trade deadline edition of ESPN’s MLB power rankings.
This year’s deadline was a slow burn, only really picking up in the two days before Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET cutoff. The Mariners kicked off trade season by dealing for Arizona’s Josh Naylor late last week, and things didn’t get going again until a flurry of movement this past Wednesday that saw Minnesota’s Jhoan Duran head to the Phillies and Arizona’s Eugenio Suarez join his teammate in Seattle.
Thursday was jam-packed with deals, especially as the deadline came to a close, from Houston acquiring former Astro Carlos Correa from the Twins to the Padres going all-in and trading for five players, including Mason Miller and Ryan O’Hearn.
Which contenders got the biggest boost from the deadline and moved up our list? And which clubs didn’t do themselves any favors? Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. Take a look at where every team stands following the deadline — and the biggest moves each made.
Week 17 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings
More deadline coverage: Tracker | Grades | Traded prospects | Winners and losers
Record: 64-44
Previous ranking: 1
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring catcher Danny Jansen (from Rays) and Shelby Miller (from Diamondbacks)
Record: 63-45
Previous ranking: 2
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Michael Soroka (from Nationals), relievers Andrew Kittredge (from Orioles) and Taylor Rogers (from Pirates) and utilityman Willi Castro (from Twins)
Record: 63-46
Previous ranking: 4
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring reliever Brock Stewart (from Twins) and outfielder Alex Call (from Nationals); dealing Dustin May
Record: 62-47
Previous ranking: 8
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring relievers Tyler Rogers (from Giants) and Gregory Soto (from Orioles), outfielder Cedric Mullins (from Orioles) and closer Ryan Helsley (from Cardinals)
ESPN ‘Sunday Night Baseball’
Catch the biggest names and the best teams in baseball on ESPN all season long.
Sunday, 7 p.m. ET: Tigers-Phillies
Record: 61-47
Previous ranking: 6
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring closer Jhoan Duran and outfielder Harrison Bader (from Twins)
Record: 64-46
Previous ranking: 5
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Shane Bieber (from Guardians) and reliever Seranthony Dominguez (from Orioles)
Record: 64-46
Previous ranking: 3
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitchers Chris Paddack (from Twins) and Charlie Morton (from Orioles), closer Kyle Finnegan (from Nationals) and reliever Paul Sewald (from Guardians)
Record: 62-47
Previous ranking: 7
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring shortstop Carlos Correa (from Twins), outfielder Jesus Sanchez (from Marlins) and infielder Ramon Urias (from Orioles)
Record: 60-49
Previous ranking: 9
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon (from Rockies), outfielder Austin Slater (from White Sox), closer David Bednar (from Pirates) and relievers Camilo Doval (from Giants) and Jake Bird (from Rockies)
Record: 60-49
Previous ranking: 11
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring reliever Mason Miller and starting pitcher JP Sears (from A’s), and first baseman/DH Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramon Laureano (from Orioles)
Record: 58-52
Previous ranking: 11
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suarez (from Diamondbacks)
Record: 57-53
Previous ranking: 15
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (from Diamondbacks) and reliever Danny Coulombe (from Twins)
Record: 59-51
Previous ranking: 12
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring reliever Steven Matz (from Cardinals) and starting pitcher Dustin May (from Dodgers)
Record: 57-53
Previous ranking: 16
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes (from Pirates) and starting pitcher Zack Littell (from Rays)
Editor’s Picks
2 Related
Record: 54-56
Previous ranking: 13
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring catcher Nick Fortes (from Marlins), reliever Griffin Jax (from Twins), starting pitcher Adrian Houser (from White Sox) and shortstop prospect Jadher Areinamo (from Brewers); dealing catcher Danny Jansen
Record: 54-55
Previous ranking: 14
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing reliever Tyler Rogers; acquiring center field prospect Drew Gilbert (from Mets)
Record: 55-55
Previous ranking: 17
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing starting pitcher Steven Matz and closer Ryan Helsley; acquiring third base prospect Jesus Baez (from Mets)
Record: 54-54
Previous ranking: 19
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing starting pitcher Shane Bieber; acquiring starting pitching prospect Khal Stephen (from Blue Jays)
Record: 54-55
Previous ranking: 20
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring outfielders Randal Grichuk (from Diamondbacks) and Mike Yastrzemski (from Giants); dealing catcher Freddy Fermin
Record: 51-58
Previous ranking: 18
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing third baseman Eugenio Suarez, first baseman Josh Naylor and starting pitcher Merrill Kelly; acquiring relief pitching prospect Brandyn Garcia and first base prospect Tyler Locklear (from Mariners)
Record: 52-55
Previous ranking: 24
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing outfielder Jesus Sanchez; acquiring shortstop prospect Chase Jaworsky (from Astros)
2025 MLB trade deadline grades
Trade season has officially begun! Here’s our running scorecard for every big move.
Grades for every big deadline deal »
Record: 51-57
Previous ranking: 21
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing shortstop Carlos Correa, closer Jhoan Duran, outfielder Harrison Bader, utilityman Willi Castro, starting pitcher Chris Paddack and reliever Griffin Jax; acquiring catching prospect Eduardo Tait and starting pitching prospect Mick Abel (from Phillies)
Record: 53-56
Previous ranking: 22
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring relievers Luis Garcia and Andrew Chafin (from Nationals)
Record: 46-62
Previous ranking: 23
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Erick Fedde (from Cardinals) and reliever Tyler Kinley (from Rockies)
Record: 50-59
Previous ranking: 25
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing reliever Seranthony Dominguez, infielder Ramon Urias, first baseman/DH Ryan O’Hearn, outfielders Ramon Laureano and Cedric Mullins and starting pitcher Charlie Morton
Record: 47-62
Previous ranking: 26
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes; acquiring shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura (from Reds)
Record: 48-63
Previous ranking: 27
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing reliever Mason Miller and starting pitcher JP Sears; acquiring shortstop prospect Leo De Vries (from Padres)
Record: 44-64
Previous ranking: 28
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing utility player Amed Rosario, starting pitcher Michael Soroka and closer Kyle Finnegan
Record: 40-69
Previous ranking: 29
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing outfielder Austin Slater
Record: 28-80
Previous ranking: 30
Biggest move(s) of the deadline: Dealing third baseman Ryan McMahon and relievers Tyler Kinley and Jake Bird
