MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 17: Liam Hicks #34 of the Miami Marlins before game amb at American Family Field on July 17, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesThe Rays had an extraordinarily busy trade deadline in 2026, and in a pleasant surprise, they were the ones buying and not selling and better yet, the Rays did so without trading any of their top prospects. Heres a recap of the Rays moves, and with all of them happening in August:Rays acquire Freddy Peralta from Mets for OF Aidan Smith, INF Emilien Pitre, and RHP Gary Gill HillRays acquire C/1B Liam Hicks from Marlins for INF Brayden Taylor, SS Adrian Santana, and RHP Jacob KistingRays acquire RHP Tyler Wells from Orioles for RHP Michael ForretRays acquire OF Jack Suwinski, intl money from Dodgers for C Hunter Feduccia, RHP Jacob KmatzBefore we discuss the moves made, there is one specific move the Rays didnt make, and its the place we have to start.If the Rays had needs heading into the deadline, its reasonable to suspect in might have been second base. The platoon of Richie Palacios and Ben Williamson has batted for a sub-90 wRC+ this season, but whats easy to overlook is the defense they have provided. There were various players on the market that could have done better with the bat, most notable being San Franciscos Arraez, but what hey might not have inspired was confidence with the glove, and for the Rays that is a significant part of the overall value equation. Also part of that value equation though? What you didnt give away in order to add a problematic defender. As we wrote about heading into the deadline, the Rays had a significant problem in that their best trade pieces were not the ones coming up for Rule 5 eligibility. The Rays, undeterred, stayed diamondhands on the likes of OF Theo Gillen and C Caden Bodine, instead threading the needle to find the best fits for the players they were willing to deal. Accordingly, its hard not to applaud the Rays entirely for what theyve achieved. Here are the needs the Rays did see fit to address: starting pitcher, starting catcher, reliever, and outfield depth. Each makes sense, as two-time All-Star Peralta allows respected veteran Matz to limit his times through the order by moving to the bullpen, Hicks adds a promising offensive boost to the lineup (perhaps even spelling the need to add offense to the infield) while also allowing the Rays to move forward from Feduccia, Wells adds extra punch setting up Baker, and in return for Feduccia the Rays get another LHH outfielder to slot in behind Mullins, Mesa, and Melton in case there are any injury concerns down the stretch. These are all respectable, sensible additions that go above and beyond what you might be used to seeing from this Rays team and all the more notable knowing it was a sellers market, which is to say slim pickins unless an overpay was the intent. And it bears repeating the Rays did not overpay for anything. Peraltas deal gave up three respectable pieces, but ones with flaws too. Smith was the prince who was promised in the Arozarena trade, but with an objective lens, he was formerly five tool player missing the all important hit tool. And Pitre, by comparison, was the opposite, offering all the hit tool and not much of the rest. Gill Hill was a former top-100 arm in places but currently not ranked that way anywhere. Combined, the three are all on the outside-looking-in on the Rays top ten prospects, and a far cry from what the Mets dealt to get Peralta in the first place. Hickss trade cost was far more notable; instead of dealing three players trending down, the front office capitalized on three players trending up. Taylor was lost cause just months ago but reinvented his swing, Santana added muscle and recently elevated an elite defense first profile, and Kirsting although recently acquired was trending in the right direction under Winston Dooms program. All three of these players are flashes in the pan, prospects: rightfully finding success at levels they should have always been succeeding at. Neander and company struck when the iron was hot, and got back a long term major league piece better than could have been wished for if I told you none of the top prospects were moving. Wellss return was the highest rated prospect we will discuss today, as Forret was easily in the top-ten prospects, but he was also importantly a former Baltimore prospect, and goes back to a team that might have some serious regrets about dealing with the Rays when they were in position to demand an overpay from Tampa Bay. Yes, its a minor overpay for a set up man, but strong insurance for 2026 in return for an arm that still has question marks the Rays were clearly content to leave unanswered. In this case, you have to trust that if the front office wants to deal him, they might know what theyre doing.The fourth move is probably a shuffling of deck chairs, but on the whole its a helpful move to turn Feduccia into better insurance, and you have to love adding some international pool money along the way. So what do I grade this deadline? Unequivocally this is an A performance from Erik Neander and the front office.Dont believe me? Consider the likes of the Boston Red Sox, a front office seemingly grasping for straws and mortgaging the future again and again to add whatever and wherever they could find. In a vacuum I would already take Hicks over Adley Rutschman, or Wells over Erik Miller, and in both cases the Rays gave up far less than what it required of Breslow. And thats not even mentioning the travesty of Connor Early for one at bat from Curtis Mead. Theres a devils advocate version of appraisal here that faults the Rays from moving on from players like Smith and Taylor and Forret, but thats a sunk cost fallacy, and ignores the fact that the front office has far more information than any of us do today. The counter aguements are typical. You wont win every trade, you have to give something to get something, yada yada yada but lets be honest: The Rays were clearly aggressively thorough this trade deadline and walk away potentially the biggest winners not named the Dodgers, giving up little to add extraordinarily more than could have been anticipated. So, how has the outlook changed? Following the deadline, theFanDuel Sportsbookhas the World Series odds at +1500 for the Rays and thats a bit insulting. Its the sixth best, but behind the Yankees (+600) and Red Sox (+1400) for reasons hard to explain, especially when the Rays remain the favorites to take the division (-130). If youre considering betting World Series odds, there might not be a better time than now, lest the Sportsbook wise up. Anyway this deadline gets an A-grade from me. Lets go beat up the Rockies.Go Rays!

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Credit: The Pat McAfee Show / YouTubeWith The Pat McAfee Show broadcasting live from Steelers training camp on Monday, it was no surprise that Aaron Rodgers was set to make an appearance. How that appearance went was either surprising, or exactly what you might have expected, depending on how much attention youve been paying to appearances on the show over the years.The biggest headlines Rodgers made stemmed from his jokes about pleading the fifth, referencing the recent Senate hearing at which former NIAID director Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment. He went on to call Fauci an absolute coward. Rodgers has made his feelings on the COVID-19 pandemic exceedingly clear, so those comments, while fiery, didnt come as all that big of a surprise.What was a bit more shocking was the shot that Rodgers took at ESPN, the network he was appearing on. Rodgers first expressed frustration with ESPN for spending time covering his own vaccination status while not covering the recent hearings. He later pivoted to calling out the network for what he believed was a lack of coverage of the scandalous relationship between NFL insider Dianna Russini and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel that came out over the summer.What was this network doing? Rodgers asked. You had literally an individual that maybe used to work at ESPN, that covers our league at the highest level, and theres a major scandal, and its just like nobody can f*cking talk about it? What are we even doing here?Personal lives are personal lives, joked a member of McAfees crew. I feel like you of all people should know that.I understand, but if its affecting certain things, if theres leaks going on, if theres tampering going on, if that person is also an MVP voter and a Coach of the Year voter remember when I won MVP in 2021 and that bum in Chicago? Thats real life. How are we allowing these people to have an impact?#Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers also unloaded on the Dianna Russini/Mike Vrabel offseason story.Rodgers says the story and its ramifications werent covered properly.(@PatMcAfeeShow) https://t.co/PZhnAW6Xizpic.twitter.com/fHVpKTM1cl Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 3, 2026On why ESPN covered Rodgerss own vaccination status and not the recent Senate hearings, well, Rodgerss vaccination status was directly tied to his availability to play NFL football, while the hearings are pretty far removed from having anything to do with the upcoming NFL slate.As for ESPNs coverage of Russini and Vrabel, the Worldwide Leader did publish an extremely thorough story by Ben Strauss covering the fallout of the news, but if you think they could have spent more time on the subject, sure, theres an argument to be made. How ESPN feels about that particular bit of media criticism being aired under its own banner is another matter entirely, but as recent years have shown, McAfee has a whole lot of leeway when it comes to what gets covered on his show.Rodgers says this is his last season in the NFL. Last year, he stopped his tradition of weekly visits to McAfees show over the course of the NFL season. His performance on Monday made clear that even if he isnt back in a weekly spot, whenever he does stop by the show, he will not be holding back.If Rodgers decides he doesnt want to try out for a spot in the broadcast booth once he hangs up his cleats, maybe he can pursue a career in media criticism.The post Aaron Rodgers blasts ESPN for lack of coverage of Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel relationship appeared first on Awful Announcing.

HOUSTON (AP) Alejandro Kirk homered, Jess Snchez and Ernie Clement each had an RBI and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Houston 3-1 on Monday night, snapping the Astros' six-game winning streak.Shane Bieber (3-2) bounced back after walking a career-high six batters while just getting two outs in his last start. He tied a season high with nine hits allowed but gave up just one run with two walks in 5 2/3 innings.Tyler Rogers pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.Jose Altuve had two hits and Jeremy Pea drove in a run for the Astros, who failed to get an extra-base hit and left 13 men on base.There were two on with two outs in the sixth when an RBI single by Pea cut the lead to 3-1 and chased Bieber.Braydon Fisher took over and the Blue Jays intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez to give him a major league-leading 23 intentional walks this season and load the bases. But Fisher retired Isaac Paredes on a fly out to end the inning.The Astros had another chance to cut the deficit with two outs in the eighth, but Brendon Little struck out Alvarez with a runner on first.Center fielder Daulton Varsho made his Astros debut just hours after being traded from the Blue Jays for right-hander Spencer Arrighetti. Varsho singled and walked while batting cleanup for a team that has struggled to get meaningful offensive contributions from its outfielders for most of the season. Houston starter Cristian Javier (1-2) yielded seven hits and three runs in six innings.Struggling right-hander Tatsuya Imai made his first career relief appearance in the majors after making 15 starts for the Astros and struck out five in three hitless innings.Kirk gave Toronto an early lead with his home run to open the second inning.Kazuma Okamoto and George Springer hit consecutive singles to begin the fourth before Okamoto scored on a one-out single by Snchez that made it 2-0. Clement's sacrifice fly sent Springer home to push the lead to 3-0.Up NextToronto RHP Trey Yesavage (5-5, 3.73 ERA) opposes RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-0, 4.76) when the series continues Tuesday night.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Jacob deGrom told reporters Monday, ahead of the trade deadline, that he wanted to stay with the Texas Rangers because he believes they can make the playoffs this season (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images).The narrative on social media surrounding the Texas Rangers never matched what happened at the trade deadline. They made only one minor deal, trusting that the team can surge as is.ARLINGTON A good rule of thumb for life in general is not to believe everything cranked out on social media. That is especially so in the final two days before the annual MLB trade deadline and as things pertained this year to the Texas Rangers.The deadline passed at 5 p.m. Monday with the Rangers staying largely dormant. Beginning on Sunday morning and continuing into Monday morning, though, the buzz was that the Rangers were going to be deadline sellers because of what happened over the weekend in Houston.The sale was on, one national expert said. Another said the Rangers were open to moving all players on the team. It all turned out to be an echo chamber of bad information.The only move the Rangers made Monday was an afternoon trade of infielder Josh Smith and minor-league pitcher Josh Stephan to the Blue Jays for left-hander Adam Macko. The lack of moves wasnt for a lack of effort, dreary-eyed club officials said.In the end, the front office collectively agreed that the moves they could have made were better left unmade. That includes, presumably, any deals that were snuffed out under the weight of Jacob deGroms full no-trade protection.The best thing that can happen for the Rangers is for their ailing players to return from the injured list and for their slumping players to get right.Now, its time to go get it done, and thats what Im excited about, president of baseball operations Chris Young said. I believe in this team. I believe that the additions that we should have coming off the IL here are as good as any trades that we could have made. Three days ago, four days ago, we were a first-place club. Were not today. A lot changes in a week. Were a good week away from being back in first place.Hes not wrong. If all of the ifs come together, the Rangers can still win the American League West. They are joined in their thinking by deGrom, who said that he exercised his no-trade clause because he believes the team as is can win in the fourth year of his five-year, $185 million contract.Neither he nor Young said when deGrom told them he wanted to stay, either before the trading period started or after the Rangers got down the road with another team, rumored to be the Braves, and presented it to him.Ultimately, it doesnt matter. Hes here and ready to win ballgames.The last road trip didnt go well, but I believe in this group and I believe we can win, deGrom said. So, I signed here to help this team win a World Series. In 23, the team was able to do that, and I want to be a part of that in the future.The Rangers turnaround starts with him and Nathan Eovaldi, who also has full no-trade protection. Each came up empty over the weekend against the Astros, where a sweep put the Rangers in a 2 1/2-game hole in the American League West.He plans to challenge hitters more in upcoming starts, rather than trying to make the perfect pitch every time. He also said that his left hip/glute wont be an issue Friday in his next start.Im trying to be too fine right now, he said. I look back at how I used to pitch, it was, Here it is. Lets see if you can hit it. The walks are killing me. It seems like everybody I walk this year scores. So, go back to just attacking.The Rangers saw more of that Sunday from left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who was the sharpest hes been in any of his six rehab starts. Young said that Montgomerys next appearance will be in the major leagues.Hes one of the injured players the Rangers are counting on for contributions over the final two months. The hope is that third baseman Josh Jung (left calf) can return late this week after he resumed baseball activities Monday.Right-hander Jack Leiter (left ankle surgery) threw live batting practice Monday and could go on a rehab assignment next week, and lefty Cody Bradford (elbow) is nearing a return from the IL after one or two more rehab outings.The Rangers also anticipate that relievers Jakob Junis (left adductor) and Robert Garcia (shoulder) will return.Once the injured starters are back, anyone bumped from the rotation would help beef up the bullpen. Bradford might be sent straight to the bullpen, where he could pitch multiple innings or piggyback with another starter.Even in the shorter term, were progressing well to where there should be very good players helping this team, Young said.The Rangers traded for reliever Chase Silseth and catcher Logan OHoppe last week. As was the case in that deal, the Smith-Macko swap was made with an eye toward the future. He, Silseth and OHoppe are under contractual control for multiple seasons.The Rangers arent sure if Macko will be a starter or reliever next season, but the left-hander will likely be used as a reliever, the role he had in Toronto, for the rest of this season. He was optioned to Triple A last week but can join the Rangers without serving the minimum 10-day stay for optioned players.Young did not indicate when Macko might join the active roster. But he came at minimal expense, as did Silseth and OHoppe, and the Rangers achieved another deadline goal of preserving the farm system after trading several prospects away since 2023.They were encouraged by the number of players who were of interest to other clubs, indicating that the farm system might be in better shape than industry publications suggest. Our job as a front office is not only to try to make the 26 team as good as possible, but to look out for the future and understand that part of that is preserving your minor-league system and building the depth, Young said. Sometimes the best deals are the deals you say no to.Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com

ARLINGTON, Texas If Heliot Ramos All-Star appearance at this very ballpark two years ago didnt cement his status as one of the Giants biggest recent homegrown success stories, then his second straight Opening Day start this year should have left little doubt.Ramos became the franchises first left fielder to do so since Barry Bonds two decades earlier.Just over four months later, Ramos looked at one of the televisions in the visitors clubhouse at Globe Life Park and couldnt believe what he saw along with his name on the screen.Heliot Ramos during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers . Wally Skalij for the California PostMy heart was beating hard, Ramos said.Just a little while later, hugs were being exchanged and the soon-to-be 27-year-old Puerto Rican had time to process his shocking if not surprising trade to the New York Yankees.If they traded for me, its because they want me, Ramos said. Im very proud Im with the Yankees at the end of the day. Thats an organization that as a kid, in Puerto Rico, everybody knows about and everybody wants to play for. So Im happy for this new chapter.It would have been hard to imagine the Giants moving off Ramos when the season began. But his defense never fully recovered from a terrible 2025, and his offense never quite reached the heights that made him an All-Star in his first full season as an everyday player.Ramos was 17 years old when the Giants drafted him 19th overall in 2017. Nine years and two presidents of baseball operations later, Buster Posey made him the second former first-round pick traded away this season, joining catcher Patrick Bailey, who was sent to Cleveland in May.Obviously I love the Giants, he said. Its all I know. Im very blessed that they gave me the chance to be a big leaguer, gave me the chance to be who I am today. Theyve seen me grow, theyve seen me become the person who I am today. Its gonna obviously have a big place in my heart. At the end of the day, Im very happy to be a New York Yankee.New Yankees outfielder Heliot Ramos has registered a .400 or better slugging percentage in each of his last three seasons. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWhile Ramos was excited to be headed to a hotbed for Puerto Rican culture, he was more jazzed about the chance to team up with Aaron Judge, a prospect that never came to pass when the Yankees slugger spurned the Giants pursuit in free agency a few winters ago.I cant wait to hear from Judge, Ramos said. Hes one of the best hitters this game has. I need all the tips I can get. [Giancarlo] Stanton, all those guys. Its gonna be fun, for sure, talking to them and all that.In Puerto Rico, everybody in Puerto Rico loves the Yankees, said Ramos. He might have been the only Red Sox fan on the island. His older brother, Henry, was originally signed by Boston.Im not gonna say who I was a fan of growing up, Ramos said with his signature hearty laugh. But I grew up watching [the Yankees], for sure.Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post OpinionCalifornia Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!Ramos name began surfacing in rumors leading up to Mondays trade deadline as he represented the organizations best chance to add premium talent in a firesale that saw five of his former teammates shipped elsewhere in four other deals.The Yankees, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, were scouting him heavily.Given the Giants glut of corner outfielders and DH types, plus Ramos value as an established right-handed hitter with power and three years of team control, he turned into a trade chip.The Giants were thrilled with the two players they got in return.Ramos name began surfacing in rumors leading up to Mondays trade deadline.Kaeden Kent, Jeff Kents son, was a player San Francisco targeted in last years draft before he went off the board with the 103rd pick. Manager Tony Vitello, who tried to pry him away from Texas A&M in the transfer portal, commended his work ethic instilled by a Hall-of-Fame father.Kent, who is hitting .302 with a .792 OPS in High-A, has a swing we really like, Posey said.The bigger prize was 22-year-old left-hander Henry LaLane, considered the Yankees No. 5 overall prospect by MLB.com, who Posey described as an upside starting pitcher.LaLane, who stands 6-foot-7, recently joined Kent in High-A and has a 2.77 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts) with 98 strikeouts to 26 walks in 78 innings this year.Giving away years of control didnt scare off Posey if the price was right. He also shipped hard-throwing lefty reliever Erik Miller, who like Ramos wont hit free agency until 2030, to the Red Sox for former top prospect Marcelo Mayer.Really just weighing the talent return against a couple of really good big leaguers, Posey said.

CHICAGO Ive often imagined North Shore pals Chris Getz and Jed Hoyer meeting at the Starbucks in Winnetka to talk trade and maybe delve into some executive-level gossip over a cinnamon dolce latte.Both of Chicagos top baseball executives were very active at the trade deadline, and made similar moves to bolster their rosters, adding veteran pitchers with postseason cred who are having off years, multiple relievers who can pitch in any situation, and even a spare outfielder who hits from the right side.Neither made a blockbuster deal like the Los Angeles Dodgers did to acquire Tarik Skubal, but both probably did enough to convince their fan bases they do want to win in 2026 while also protecting most of their top prospects. Most importantly, they both filled their rotation holes, with the Cubs gaining two starters in Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman, and the Sox getting Luis Castillo. And they did it without subtracting from their tight-knit clubhouses.I really feel like we were able to maintain this belief and magic thats going on right now, Getz said Monday on a videoconference call.See you in the World Series?The Cubs might have to get past the Dodgers first.Clearly they are going to be the favorites, theyve won two times in a row and they have the most talent in baseball, I dont think theres any question about that, Hoyer said Monday from the Cubs dugout at Wrigley Field. Its a great challenge for anybody I totally respect the fact they really pushed in to do it three times in a row. What an amazing thing to try and accomplish. Its our job, and everyone elses job, to make that not happen.Hoyer had conversations with old buddy Scott Harris, the Detroit Tigers president, about acquiring Skubal, but nothing serious. But Hoyer needed two starters for the postseason to go along with Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera and David Peterson, and can live with his decision.Obviously what happened earlier in the year in terms of the injuries and how it puts you in a bind, this is an area we needed to address, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of the new starters. And I think Jed has done that.Whether Castillo and Gausman can return to form and help their respective clubs get deep into October will be a primary storyline here the rest of the year. But this is the kind of trade deadline Cubs and Sox fans dream about, and they can thank Getz and Hoyer for addressing all their needs.The ongoing sagas of Getz and Hoyer, two executives who got their jobs the old-school Chicago way with no bothersome hiring searches conducted by their bosses are ones that continue to fascinate me. No two competing baseball executives live so close to each other, or are able to meet up and share war stories about their owners, players or the local media.Hoyer lauded Getzs deadline moves, which checked all his boxes, including the addition of New York Mets reliever Huascar Brazobn to the already strong bullpen. They had trade conversations, Hoyer said, but nothing came close.Getz enjoys getting brotherly advice from Hoyer, who executed his own semi-rebuild in 2021 and worked under Theo Epstein on the 2012 Cubs rebuild that ignited the trend across baseball.If I can offer encouragement at times or a shoulder at times, its great, Hoyer said of Getz back in 24. Weve both been through it, and the concept of rebuilding is one thing. The reality of driving home alone at night, having lost a game and sometimes in a cruel way, is real. I try to humanize that a little bit.Getzs rebuild turned a corner only two seasons after a record-setting 121-loss year in 2024, making the Sox one of the games most remarkable comeback stories. Now manager Will Venable and the players have to finish the job.Hoyers gut rehab of the Cubs finally led them to the postseason last year and has them competing for a shot at knocking off the Dodgers. In a town that seldom sees both MLB teams contending at the same time, the Sox and Cubs have made this one of the more memorable summers in years. Cubs fans and Sox fans may not get along, but Getz and Hoyer have a solid bromance going.Candidly, Im really happy for him, Hoyer said Monday. He took over a very challenging situation. His first year was obviously really hard. Hes made some really hard, unpopular decisions, and its fun for me to see a lot of those hard, unpopular decisions have paid off for him. Hes built a really good roster, and going aggressively to win is exactly what he should be doing.The Cubs welcomed the Dodgers to Wrigley Field on Monday for the start of a three-game series that could be a playoff preview. Skubal, the biggest player on the trade market, will face the Cubs on Tuesday in a nationally televised game.Speaking in the Barrel Room on Monday afternoon before it opened to the one-percenters who can afford season tickets to the exclusive Cubs club, Skubal apologized in advance for staring at his fellow pitchers in the star-filled clubhouse.People will probably think Im a little weird staring at guys, Skubal said. But its just because Im trying to learn and get better Im excited about all that stuff. Its extremely motivating for me.Skubal doesnt have to apologize for wanting to win, especially after being part of a Tigers rebuild that stalled out in his walk season. But the fact that this super team from LA added another not-so-secret weapon in its bid for a three-peat was not universally applauded by baseball fans. Some resent the Dodgers for hoarding superstars like theyre an endangered species.When I asked Skubal on Monday if he understood why some fans were upset over the trade, he correctly pointed out that every team could trade for me, but only the Dodgers made it happen.I dont really sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers for anything theyve done, Skubal said. Theyve developed a really good organization. They draft well. They acquire talent really well. They retain talent. Its a winning organization.Now the complaint seems to be (louder) because they won the last two World Series. I dont think it was like that three years ago. I dont really sympathize with people that are complaining because the Dodgers do all the right things.A Cubs-Sox World Series would be the best thing to happen to Chicago since prohibition ended, and the town might have to shut down for months afterward just to clean up.But if the Cubs cant knock off Los Angeles, a Dodgers-White Sox World Series would be the next best thing a perfect appetizer for the upcoming lockout.Getzs team full of overachievers against the Dodgers mega-millionaires in a battle of the Have-It-Alls vs. the Have-Nots? Mike Vasils magic wand vs. Skubal again?Its the perfect summer for daydreaming in Chicago.And if this is a dream, dont wake us up.____

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Another trade deadline has passed.As has become customary in recent years particularly with the expanded postseason making it more difficult to distinguish who should be buying and selling most MLB teams waited until the final 48 hours to ramp up their trade activity. More than 40 trades were executed on deadline day alone, with another handful of deals completed in the week leading up to the final buzzer, including the seismic swap sending two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the superteam known as the Los Angeles Dodgers.With the deadline behind us, its time to conduct our annual exercise of ranking (nearly) all of the deals that went down since the All-Star break, when trade activity picks up around the league.Lets get to it.The non-Skubal Dodgers deal50. Dodgers acquire C Ben Rortvedt from Mets for RP Chayce McDermott 49. Dodgers acquire C Hunter Feduccia, RP Jacob Kmatz from Rays for OF Jack Suwinski, international bonus pool money 48. Dodgers acquire SP Kris Bubic from Royals for RP Carlos Duran 47. Dodgers acquire RP Seth Halvorsen from Rockies for OF Landyn Vidourek, SP Nick FrassoLets be real you know the Skubal blockbuster is waiting for you at the bottom of this list. But the defending champs did more than land the splendid southpaw before the deadline, and that collection of moves was plenty fascinating.It began July 20, when the Dodgers completed their first trade with the Rockies since 2014, sending prospects to Colorado for right-hander Seth Halvorsen, who will need to hone his command to become an option in the big-league bullpen but has a fastball up to 102 mph that is hard to ignore.Catcher Will Smith has been on the injured list since early June due to a neck injury, and on Monday, Dalton Rushing was placed on the IL due to an elbow strain, which sent the Dodgers scrambling for catching depth at the deadline. That meant acquiring Ben Rortvedt from the Mets one year after acquiring Rortvedt at the deadline from Tampa Bay in a deal that sent Hunter Feduccia to the Rays. That was amusing enough on its own, and then, just before the deadline, the Dodgers reacquired Feduccia as well.To top it all off, L.A. sent relief prospect Carlos Duran to Kansas City for Bubic an All-Star just last season but one who has been on the injured list since early May battling elbow and shoulder injuries. It is quite possible that Bubic, who is slated to hit free agency after this season, never throws a pitch for the Dodgers. But if he can somehow rehab in time to contribute to any degree down the stretch, that would be a fairly ridiculous turn of events.Role players46. White Sox acquire C Joey Bart from Braves for RP Duncan Davitt 45. White Sox acquire OF Brenton Doyle from Rockies for SP Mason Adams, SS Carlos Vielma 44. Red Sox acquire OF Eli White from Braves for RP Tyler Uberstine 43. Red Sox acquire INF/OF Jahmai Jones from Tigers for SP Jojo Ingrassia 42. Blue Jays acquire INF Josh Smith, SP Josh Stephan from Rangers for RP Adam MackoNothing too exciting here. The White Sox needed catching depth with Kyle Teel back on the injured list, and Doyle is a nice buy-low candidate who can at least provide excellent center-field defense. The Red Sox bolstered their bench with some speed (White) and a lefty-masher in Jones who was floundering in Detroit after shining with them in a platoon role last year. The Rangers/Blue Jays swap is notable for it being one of just two trades Texas made ahead of this deadline, along with adding Chase Silseth and Logan OHoppe from Anaheim last week. It was a strange display of inaction from a team not that far out of first place.Innings-eaters41. Cubs acquire SP Aaron Civale from Athletics for RP Aiden Moffett 40. Cubs acquire SP Braxton Garrett from Marlins for 1B Jonathon Long, RP Jace Beck 39. Twins acquire SP Dean Kremer from Orioles for OF Jhomnardo Reyes 38. Braves acquire SP Tyler Mahle from Giants for RP Anthony Molina 37. Brewers acquire SP Dustin May, RP JoJo Romero from Cardinals for OF Alexander Fras, OF Josiah RagsdaleIts possible one or two of these arms pitches their way into a more meaningful role by the end of the season, but as things stand, they were brought in by contenders (or at least playoff hopefuls) to cover innings in a cromulent fashion, rather than with hopes of starting a postseason game. Perhaps the Braves and Brewers can coax more impact out of Mahle and May than the two right-handers were able to find in San Francisco and St. Louis, respectively. If anything, there might actually be more pressure on them to do so, considering how few other moves Atlanta and Milwaukee made at this deadline.The surprisingly busy Cleveland Guardians36. Guardians acquire RP Craig Yoho, OF Blake Perkins from Brewers for C Bo Naylor, RP Codi Heuer 35. Guardians acquire OF Jo Adell from Angels for C Jacob Cozart 34. Guardians acquire 1B Nathaniel Lowe from Reds for SP Alejandro Rivera 33. Guardians acquire SP Foster Griffin from Nationals for RP Will Dion, SP Josh Hartle, RP Kendeglys Virguez, OF Nick MitchellHow about this? Cleveland has not been known in recent seasons to be particularly busy at deadline time, but they were as active as any team in the wild-card mix over the past few days. Naylor no longer had a path to playing time, so flipping him for an intriguing strikeout artist in Yoho made sense to bolster the bullpen. Adell has not had a great year but brings rare bat speed to a lineup desperate for some thump and is under team control for 2027 as well. Lowe was crushing right-handers (.885 OPS) with Cincinnati, providing a veteran lefty bat to boost the Guardians first-base production, which has been sorely lacking.Finally, the Guardians made a surprising swap with Washington, leveraging the depth of their farm system to add an All-Star lefty in Griffin, who gives them a much more capable rotation option behind their terrific top two of Parker Messick and Gavin Williams, as Tanner Bibee, Slade Cecconi and Joey Cantillo have been admirably durable but maddeningly inconsistent this season. All in all, it wasnt the splashiest deadline for the Guardians, but they got meaningfully better, which is no small achievement in a weak and winnable AL Central.We had reason to think Tarik Skubal might be on a new team on Aug. 4. The Adley Rutschman move was a bit more of a surprise.Ethan Palowitz/Yahoo SportsWhat a relief!32. Braves acquire RP Brent Suter from Angels for 3B Nacho Alvarez Jr. 31. Phillies acquire RP Brooks Raley from Mets for OF John Spikerman, SP Luke Gabrysh 30. Marlins acquire RP Victor Vodnik from Rockies for INF Connor Norby, SP Aiden May 29. Cubs acquire RP Ryan Zeferjahn from Angels for C/DH Moiss Ballesteros, SP Mason McGwire 28. White Sox acquire RP Huascar Brazobn from Mets for RP Gabe Davis, RP Zach Franklin 27. Brewers acquire RP Antonio Senzatela from Rockies for RP Mark Manfredi, SS Juan Martinez 26. Twins acquire RP A.J. Minter from Mets for OF Bruin Agbayani, 1B/3B Billy Amick 25. Rays acquire RP Tyler Wells from Orioles for SP Michael Forret 24. Red Sox acquire RP Erik Miller from Giants for INF Marcelo Mayer 23. Twins acquire RP Jeff Hoffman from Blue Jays for SP Dasan Hill, RP John Klein, 2B Dameury PenaVirtually every team intent on playing in October needs bullpen upgrades at the deadline, and there was no shortage of such additions over the past few days. The Angels buying low on Ballesteros is compelling, but Zeferjahn is quite good. Speaking of buying low: How about this being the end of Marcelo Mayers tenure in Boston? The Giants added a ton of prospect talent before the deadline, and while Mayer might no longer qualify, hes still just 23 with a lot of believers around the industry. That said, Erik Miller has some serious stuff from the left side, even if the free passes are far too frequent.Senzatela has enjoyed a highly successful transition to the bullpen after years of floundering as a starter, and itd be no surprise if he continues to thrive in Milwaukees bullpen. Wells is finally healthy and thriving in a relief role, and he was sent to the Rays for a promising pitching prospect in Forret, who was an Oriole before he was sent to Tampa Bay in the Shane Baz trade last December. Now hes back.Finally, credit to Minnesota for making a late push to land Hoffman from Toronto. Hes still capable of being a shutdown closer when hes right. It was a year ago that the Twins traded away virtually their entire bullpen, and theyve felt the repercussions of that decision this season while hanging around in the wild-card mix. If Minnesota had any hope of staying relevant down the stretch, relief help was badly required, and Hoffman is a really nice addition, even if they paid a considerable price.Buccos bullpen makeover22. Pirates acquire RP Kirby Yates from Angels for SP Kyle Robinson 21. Pirates acquire RP Lake Bachar from Marlins for RP Brandan Bidois, OF Brian Sanchez, SS Hyun Seung Lee 20. Pirates acquire RP Camilo Doval from Yankees for OF Luis Cruz, 1B/C Omar Alfonzo 19. Pirates acquire RP Luke Weaver from Mets for SS Sammy StafuraPerhaps no playoff hopeful needed a more dramatic bullpen overhaul than the Pirates, who seem to have the makings of a roster otherwise capable of ending the National Leagues longest postseason drought. Adding relievers was an absolute must before the deadline, and they were not shy in shopping league-wide for help in that area. It started by buying low on Doval, who never quite found his footing in the Bronx, and finished with the terrific acquisition of Weaver, who has been rock-solid in Queens and is under team control through 2027 as well.That Pittsburgh was able to add those two, plus Yates and Bachar, without parting with any of its top prospects Stafura has been on fire in A-ball lately, and the Mets must absolutely love him if he was the sole return for Weaver, as hes not universally well-regarded around the league is really tidy business for this front office. Nice work.Position player potpourri18. Braves acquire OF Lane Thomas, RP Bailey Falter from Royals for SP Lucas Braun, SP Carter Holton 17. Astros acquire OF Daulton Varsho from Blue Jays for SP Spencer Arrighetti 16. Diamondbacks acquire OF Lars Nootbaar from Cardinals for SP Daniel Eagen, RP Sandro Santana. 15. Red Sox acquire 3B Curtis Mead from Nationals for SP Connelly Early 14. Rays acquire C/DH Liam Hicks from Marlins for 3B Brayden Taylor, SS Adrian Santana, SP Jacob Kisting 13. Mariners acquire OF Taylor Ward from Orioles for RP Alex Hoppe, RP Harrison Kreiling, RP Brock Moore 12. Yankees acquire OF Heliot Ramos from Giants for SP Henry Lalane, SS Kaeden Kent. 11. Yankees acquire 1B Luis Garca Jr. from Nationals for RP Jake Bird, RP Yovanny Cruz, RP Ben Grable, SP Jack Cebert 10. Phillies acquire 2B Luis Arraez, RP Caleb Kilian from Giants for SP Ramon Marquez, RP Marty GairHere we have the batch of trades for hitters who will immediately slot in as regulars on contending teams. Thomas felt like a nice appetizer to a larger move on the pitching side for Atlanta, but he turned out to be one of the Braves biggest additions. Thats not his fault, but it puts more pressure on his contributions down the stretch. The same can be said for Varsho, the Astros only deadline addition despite ample public posturing from general manager Dana Brown that theyd be aggressive buyers. That Houston improved minimally made rival Seattles addition of Ward look even better, as he raises both the floor and the ceiling of the Mariners lineup and didnt cost nearly as much as expected.With the deadline just 30 minutes away, the D-backs were the last team to not have made a single trade, but they managed to get on the board by adding on-base maven Nootbaar to their outfield mix. Hicks strengthens Tampa Bays perpetually lackluster catching corps, marking a third major move for the AL East leaders in tandem with their deals for Wells and Freddy Peralta.The Yankees had a weird deadline, failing to address any of the three obvious holes that fans have been screaming about for months (catcher, shortstop, third base) and instead adding two above-average bats who dont really fit on the roster in Garcaand Ramos. But the reality is, with Aaron Judge still sidelined, the Yankees needed to prioritize adding offense in any form, and this duo unquestionably has the potential to provide the offense the jolt it craves.Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski always keeps things interesting when this part of the baseball calendar rolls around, and he delivered another delicious deadline deal in the form of Arraez and Kilian from San Francisco. Arraezs improved defense at second base will keep him at the keystone while the Phillies maneuver the rest of the roster around him: Bryson Stott to third base, Alec Bohm to first and, yes, Bryce Harper to right field. As funky as the defensive alignment might be, whats most important is that Arraezs elite contact skills can elevate this recently dormant lineup in a meaningful way. Kilian also shouldnt be overlooked, as his inclusion likely contributed to Philadelphias willingness to part with a promising pitching prospect in Marquez.Please start a postseason game9. Blue Jays acquire SP Jos Soriano from Angels for SS Arjun Nimmala, OF Eddie Micheletti, SP Angel Rivero 8. White Sox acquire SP Luis Castillo from Mariners for RP Seranthony Dominguez, OF Nolan Jones, C/OF Boston Smith 7. Padres acquire SP Casey Mize, INF Gage Workman from Tigers for SP Kash Mayfield, SP Jackson Wolf 6. Padres acquire SP Robbie Ray from Giants for SP Miguel Mendez, SS Joniel Hernandez 5. Cubs acquire SP Clay Holmes, OF Tyrone Taylor from Mets for INF Jefferson Rojas 4. Cubs acquire SP Kevin Gausman for SS Ty Southisene, OF Brett Bateman 3. Rays acquire SP Freddy Peralta from Mets for 2B Emilien Pitre, SP Gary Gill Hill, OF Aidan SmithOkay, Soriano probably wont be starting a game in October for Toronto in 2026. But the breakout right-hander is under team control through 2028, making him a worthy target as part of Torontos buy-and-sell approach. The Jays sought long-term rotation options while parting with expiring contracts such as Gausman and Varsho, even parting with a top-100 prospect in Nimmala to do so. Gausman heads to Chicago and joins another new Cubs starter in Clay Holmes as crucial reinforcements for an injury-ravaged pitching staff. Meanwhile, on the South Side, the first-place White Sox made a bold move in adding veteran righty Luis Castillo, who was squeezed out of Seattles stacked rotation but would almost certainly get the ball in October if Chicago qualifies for the tournament.San Diego was eerily quiet leading up to the buzzer, but A.J. Preller leapt late in the afternoon on deadline day to land two rotation upgrades in Rayand Mize, parting with two more well-regarded pitching prospects in Mendez and Mayfield to deplete a shallow farm system even further. But ask Preller, and those youngsters arent his concern; the Padres are still pushing for the postseason, as flawed as they might be.The Rays missed out on Skubal, but they didnt wait long after falling short to add an impact starter. While theres no denying that Peraltas Mets tenure was massively disappointing and its foolish to compare his impact to what Skubal couldve brought to this club its no surprise that a pitching-savvy team such as the Rays were willing to part with a few solid prospects for the opportunity to help Peralta get back on track. That could pay enormous dividends for both player and team if things start to click, as the right-hander is slated to hit free agency this winter and Tampa Bay has a real shot at securing the top seed in the American League. Peraltas second half will be one of the biggest storylines down the stretch.The Boston-Baltimore blockbuster2. Red Sox acquire C Adley Rutschman, C Jake Rogers, cash from Orioles for C Carlos Narvaez, SP Anthony Eyanson, SP Kyson Witherspoon, OF Enddy Azocar, PTBNLWhere to even begin with this one? Several contenders were seeking catching upgrades leading up to the deadline, but with Shea Langeliers out for the year, Hunter Goodman off the block, Ryan Jeffers staying put in Minnesota and Tyler Stephenson not traded from Cincinnati for some reason, the available backstops were a lot more limited than anticipated.Enter Rutschman, the former No. 1 pick who made his third All-Star Game last month and is under contract through next season, suddenly emerging as a trade target over the past few days. Baltimore, willing to act as sellers despite not being too far outside the AL wild-card mix, set a high asking price for the 28-year-old switch-hitter and shockingly found a match with the rival Red Sox of all teams. Emboldened by a 21-4 July and a sweep at Dodger Stadium over the weekend, president of baseball operations Craig Breslow constructed a loaded prospect package to convince the Orioles to part with their franchise catcher. As an added bonus, Boston stopped the rival Yankees from landing Rutschman and upgraded at a position that can make a huge difference on both sides of the ball.By cold and calculated trade values, its hard to argue Boston won this deal based on Rutschmans shortcomings as a hitter and injury history, but from a vibes standpoint, Red Sox fans are feeling a whole lot better post-deadline than their counterparts in Baltimore.The big one1. Dodgers acquire SP Tarik Skubal from Tigers for SP River Ryan, OF Zyhir Hope, SP Brady SmithTry not to be too shocked. What do you get the team that already has everything? Tarik Skubal, apparently, if youre Andrew Friedman.The Dodgers were able to conjure up the right trio of prospects to outbid the other contenders for the left-handers services for the stretch run, even convincing Detroit to complete the deal well in advance of the deadline, rather than taking it down to the wire before making this franchise-altering decision.There are real reasons for Detroit to be excited about all three players acquired in the trade, but theres also more than enough risk in their profiles to ensure that the Dodgers wont be sweating parting with them in exchange for the chance to supercharge their ridiculous roster even further. The ramifications of the Skubal deal are plentiful, its impact wide-ranging and complicated. But what is indisputable in the short-term is that the Dodgers push for a three-peat somehow just got even more compelling.