Yankees, Marlins, and others upgrade lineups before final stretch of MLB season

by Parker Stone

Up until this season’s July 30 trade deadline, MLB teams were busy making moves to strengthen their lineups for the final two months of the regular season.

The Yankees acquiring infielder/outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Marlins Chisholm gives them much-needed athleticism, speed on the basepaths, stolen-base ability, and pull power that will really benefit the 26-year-old at Yankee Stadium. The utility of Chisholm’s game is sure to be useful to the Yankees. Jazz has started off hot with 4 homers in his first 3 games.

The Dodgers traded for Jack Flaherty from the Tigers at the buzzer Tuesday. Flaherty was 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA. He had 133 strikeouts and only 19 walks in 106 2/3 innings. He allowed one run or fewer in six of his last eight starts with Detroit. He was the best starting pitcher traded at the deadline. 

Jorge Soler was traded back to the Atlanta Braves, rejoining the team the former World Series MVP helped win the 2021 World Series. His return is expected to strengthen the Braves' lineup with his power hitting and experience. The last time Acuna went down with an injury and the Braves traded for Soler, they wound up World Series champs, so historically this has been a great move for the team. Time will tell whether they have it in them for one more World Series.

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired pitcher Logan Gilbert from the Seattle Mariners. In exchange, the Mariners received outfielder Randy Arozarena and pitcher Taj Bradley from the Rays. This trade is expected to impact both teams significantly: Gilbert's addition to the Rays' rotation aims to enhance their pitching depth, while Arozarena and Bradley are set to bolster the Mariners' lineup and pitching staff.

The St. Louis Cardinals traded Tommy Edmond out to the White Sox, first starting pitcher Eric Fedde, while bringing in Tommy Pham for a reunion to the team where he started his career, then hit a grand slam in his first game back with the Cardinals. 

The Marlins rebuilt their entire farm system overnight and now have a top-five system. They made sure to acquire the best prospects they could get, regardless of position, in all trades. Overall, it was a well-rounded return with an emphasis on run prevention, athleticism, speed, and hitting and arm power. The best prospects they landed were Agustin Ramirez, Connor Norby, Robby Snelling, and Jun-Seok Shim.

The Rays have a long history of selling well and they dominated the dealmaking once again, led by the acquisitions Aiden Smith and Brody Hopkins from the Mariners, Dylan Lesko and Homer Bush Jr. from the Padres, and the sneaky pickups of the young players Dylan Carlson and Christopher Morel. 

Overall, active teams in the trade window have been rewarded. With the postseason on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how the landscape of the MLB shifts following these season-changing trades.