MLB trade deadline winners, losers | Yankees’ Brian Cashman, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies - NJ.com

Now that was incredible.

One of the wildest, most action-packed MLB trade deadlines in history is in the books. A record 10 players who were All-Stars this year were traded. Blockbusters went down left and right. Contenders went for it. Sellers rebuilt for the future. The last 48-or-so hours is what makes the MLB trade deadline so much fun.

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So, who won? Who lost? Here’s my read on how the league has been reshaped after the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

Winners

Brian Cashman: Pause the Cashman bashing for now, New York. The suddenly-maligned Yankees executive has been hearing criticism for months due to an underachieving, nonathletic team that leaned too right-handed (ignoring the extreme advantage of having powerful lefty hitters at Yankee Stadium). Well, that changed this week. Enter Joey Gallo in left field and Anthony Rizzo at first base to change this lineup and defense. The Yankees are now a real threat to get to October and do damage.

Los Angeles Dodgers: It’s the Dodgers’ world, we’re just living in it. No team has the combination of prospect depth and money like Los Angeles, and it was on display when front office leader Andrew Friedman landed both Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from Washington. Scherzer effectively replaces Trevor Bauer, who may never pitch in the majors again. Turner gives this team a jolt now, and can be the 2022 replacement at shortstop for impending free agent Corey Seager. Now we’ll see if the Dodgers can chase down the Giants in the wild NL West.

Chicago Cubs: They finally did what had to be done. Some may look negatively upon the Cubs for a dynasty that never was after 2016, but I view it differently. This group’s run was over. The Cubs realized it and didn’t let nostalgia get in the way. Dealing off Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Craig Kimbrel was a true fire sale. We’ll soon see if general manager Jed Hoyer got enough in return.

Chicago White Sox: Did the White Sox need Kimbrel? No. I would have picked this team to make the World Series even without the deadline blockbuster. But now the AL’s most loaded team looks downright scary. Nick Madrigal was a steep price to pay, but the White Sox want to win now. Add in veteran second baseman Cesar Hernandez and a fully healthy White Sox team could reach juggernaut status by October.

San Francisco Giants: While everyone else got frantic, Giants executive Farhan Zaidi remained patient. Even as the Dodgers added superstars and the Padres were in on every available player, the Giants just sat back until the best fit for them (Bryant) became theirs for a reasonable price. Now the ultimate matchup and platoon team can add in the ultimate matchup and platoon player for an unlikely run at a pennant.

Atlanta Braves: I respect the heck out of this franchise. When Ronald Acuna Jr. went down, I assumed the Braves were cooked. Instead they’ve put their foot on the gas with trades for Joc Pederson, Stephen Vogt, Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler and Richard Rodriguez. With the Mets (minus-2 run differential) getting bad news on Jacob deGrom and the Phillies (-30) unable to get out of their own way, why can’t the Braves (+43) win this division?

Losers

Mets: The Baez deal wasn’t bad. He’ll help and will likely restart a wonderful double play combination with shortstop Francisco Lindor. But Bryant felt like the Cubs bat that was needed here. Add in deGrom’s set back (likely not returning until September) and this felt like a dud of a deadline for a first-place team.

Phillies: Just not enough. The Phillies landed three players (Rangers starting pitcher Kyle Gibson and closer Ian Kennedy, and Orioles shortstop Freddy Galvis) on Friday. All will help, but this team needed more. Gibson has struggled since the break and walked eight in his last start. He’s a No. 4 starter, which isn’t a bad thing. Kennedy will give the bullpen a jolt. I’m not sure how Galvis will be used, but shortstop Didi Gregorius could lose playing time soon. Giving up Spencer Howard to Texas showed how far the former top prospect has fallen. Another year, another deadline without impact for a team that’s gone a decade since making it to October.

Nationals: Now that was a sharp pivot. The Nationals went from sneaky interesting NL East contender in June to tearing the franchise down by the end of July. Moving Turner, Scherzer and Daniel Hudson wasn’t just a sell off; it was the start of a long rebuild. The big question now: Will superstar Juan Soto sign long-term as losing seasons pile up or are we looking at the next mega free agent after 2024?

Padres: This might not be totally fair. Adam Frazier is a big piece that just so happened to arrive pre-deadline. And Hudson will help in the bullpen. But considering all the smoke about a potential Scherzer blockbuster or move for a Jose Berrios-type, this feels like a letdown. The Padres weren’t as good as the Giants or Dodgers last week. They still aren’t.

Rockies: What in the world is this franchise doing? How is Trevor Story still on this roster? No franchise in the majors is run worse than Colorado.

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Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com.

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