MLB Power Rankings: 5 MLB trade deadline deals that worked, 5 that failed miserably

Did these teams strike gold or strike out at the MLB trade deadline?
Pittsburgh Pirates v Los Angeles Dodgers
Pittsburgh Pirates v Los Angeles Dodgers / Ronald Martinez/GettyImages
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We're almost a month removed from the MLB trade deadline, and many moves made have been incredible additions, while others have seen players fall flat on their faces since playing for their new squad.

It's time to analyze who won their trades so far, and we'll dive right in, starting with five trades that worked.

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5 MLB trade deadline deals that worked

5. Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers

Jack Flaherty has recorded a 3.22 ERA over his 22.1 IP in four starts with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has yet to record a loss with his new team, and this is precisely what the Dodgers envisioned when they made the most significant move of the trade deadline. Flaherty now serves as a vital member of the Dodgers' rotation as we flip the calendar to September and into the postseason.

Giving up prospects Thayron Lizarno and Trey Sweeney likely won't be something L.A. lives to regret, and both prospects would have had difficulty finding everyday playing time in the majors. Their rotation is now built for a deep playoff push.

4. Eloy Jimenez

When the Baltimore Orioles scooped up Eloy Jimenez, I initially thought it would be a move that GM Mike Elias would regret. So far, I have been incorrect, as Jimenez has slashed .304/.316/.375 in 18 games since the deadline. His on-base and slug could be much better, but at the very least, he has hit for average.

Assuming he stays healthy, his lack of slug warrants the low-level prospects Baltimore gave up to acquire his services. At this point, his production is insufficient to warrant the Orioles exercising Jimenez's $16 million option next year, but we'll revisit that later.

3. Tanner Scott/Bryan Hoeing

The San Diego Padres acquired Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing from the Miami Marlins at the deadline. Scott's numbers have regressed a bit since the move, but Hoeing has been a revelation with his 0.63 ERA in 14.1 frames, putting this trade overall directly in the win category for the Friars.

It's no secret the Padres now boast one of the best bullpens in baseball. If they can get a quality start from a pitcher and have the lead, it becomes a steep uphill battle for any team to climb to come back. They are not the bullpen you want to run into come playoff time.

2. Yusei Kikuchi

We all thought the Houston Astros gave up way too much when they got desperate to add to their starting rotation at the deadline. Luckily, Yusei Kikuchi has performed incredibly since his move to the Lone Star State, posting a 2.89 ERA thus far in five games. He has helped stop the bleeding for an ailing rotation at the deadline, and the Astros now have five started with a sub-4.00 ERA.

With Seattle not playing well, the door has swung wide open for Houston to capture another AL West Division crown.

1. Frankie Montas

The Milwaukee Brewers brought in Frankie Montas, who has been everything somebody with a recent injury history a team could hope for. Montas has rebounded nicely on the season after recording a 5.01 ERA for Cincinnati, to notching a 3.33 ERA in 27 innings pitched with the Brew Crew.

Milwaukee is running away with the NL Central, and bringing in a starter now putting up substantial numbers only further solidifies the team's chances of winning the division. So far, they have struck gold banking on Montas' upside as we head into September.

5 MLB trade deadline deals that failed

5. Randy Arozarena

With the Seattle Mariners being one of the worst offensive teams in the league, they made the move to acquire Randy Arozarena at the deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays. Since then, Arozarena has only helped the team remain one of the worst offensive teams in the league, with a batting average of .216.

Although his on-base percentage of .376 is good, he's driven in only six RBIs in 25 games, which is the area of concern that needed addressing in the first place.

If Seattle wishes to compete this year, they must step on the gas offensively to close the 6.5-game gap between themselves and the third Wild Card spot.

4. Lane Thomas

Before being traded to the Cleveland Guardians from the Washington Nationals, Lane Thomas was enjoying a solid season where he slashed .253/.331/.407 with eight HRs, 40 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases.

Since debuting for Cleveland, Thomas has hit just .132/.211/.191. His strikeout rate spiked from 21.9 percent in the first half to 32.0 percent in the second half, only adding to how unfortunate this trade has been thus far.

The Guardians have seen their once sizeable lead in the AL Central diminish, and they will need better production from players like Thomas to bring home the division title.

3. Isaac Parades

Where the Chicago Cubs did the right thing in moving Mark Leiter Jr., they certainly wish they were getting better production from Isaac Parades, whom they brought in to be their future third baseman for the foreseeable future.

Parades' advanced metrics indicate bad luck, such as his sub-.200 BABIP with how much hard contact he's been making. Statistics like that usually prove to correct themselves, so the Cubs can expect a heater coming from Parades, but in the meantime, he's hit just .161 with Chicago.

The only positive takeaway is that Christopher Morel, whom they sent to Tampa Bay in exchange, has yet to do much either.

2. Mark Leiter Jr.

Mark Leiter Jr. was one of the more prolific relievers traded at the deadline. Having seen a lot of success over the last couple of years with the Cubs, the New York Yankees rolled the dice but lost the gamble.

Leiter has recorded a 5.91 ERA in 10.2 innings since moving to the Bronx. Meanwhile, Jack Neely, who the Yankees gave up, has been promoted to the majors and looks to have the potential of a late-inning reliever with much more team control than the Yankees will have out of Leiter Jr.

Given that we haven't even mentioned the upside of Ben Cowles, who was also sent to Chicago, the early indication is that New York got handed the loss in this deal.

1. Trevor Rogers

The amount of prospect currency the Baltimore Orioles gave up to pull off the Trevor Rogers trade has to go down as the worst move of the deadline thus far.

This trade has disaster written all over it from the start. Although Rogers had a few strong games before the deadline, all it did was act as a smoke screen to what was going on under the hood. Rogers had one good year back in 2021 but has struggled to remain even league average since then.

The Orioles already optioned him to the minors, hoping he will figure it out. This trade was a significant loss from a team ready to compete in a World Series.

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