MLB Trade Deadline 2023: Grades for every major move made this year

The 2023 MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and teams have made significant moves to bolster their roster or build for the future.

Here are the grades for some of the major trades that occurred:

#1. Houston Astros reunite with Justin Verlander

The Astros made a big splash by reacquiring Justin Verlander, a known quantity and much-needed arm for their pitching staff.

In return, the New York Mets received top prospects in outfielders Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford. A mutually beneficial swap for two contending teams.

Justin Verlander will reunite with the Houston Astros for the rest of the 2023 season.

Astros get: RHP Justin Verlander
Mets get: OF Drew Gilbert, OF Ryan Clifford

Grades: Astros A- | Mets A

#2. New York Yankees get Keynan Middleton

The Yankees’ lackluster move to acquire reliever Keynan Middleton didn’t do much to address their struggling team, while the White Sox secured a fringe top-30 prospect in return.

Yankees get: RHP Keynan Middleton
White Sox get: RHP Juan Carela
Grades: Yankees D | White Sox C

#3. Atlanta Braves elevate their bullpen by getting another reliever

The Braves added another piece to their bullpen by acquiring Brad Hand, a reliable lefty reliever. The Rockies received a young pitcher in Alec Barger in return.

Braves get: LHP Brad Hand
Rockies get: RHP Alec Barger
Grades: Braves A- | Rockies B-

LA Dodgers trade an aging pitcher for another SS

The Dodgers strengthened their infield with Amed Rosario, while the Guardians got a starting pitcher in Noah Syndergaard, a somewhat risky move given his recent injury history.

Dodgers get: SS Amed Rosario
Guardians get: RHP Noah Syndergaard
Grades: Dodgers B- | Guardians C-

#4. Angels push their chips for Shohei Ohtani

The Angels made ambitious moves to support Shohei Ohtani’s quest for the playoffs, acquiring Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. The White Sox received promising prospects in return.

Angels get: RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Reynaldo Lopez
White Sox get: LHP Ky Bush, C Edgar Quero
Grades: Angels B | White Sox A-

Texas Rangers acquire Aroldis Chapman to bolster the bullpen

The Rangers strengthened their bullpen by bringing in Aroldis Chapman, while the Royals received two prospects to build their farm system.

Rangers get: RHP Aroldis Chapman
Royals get: OF Roni Cabrera, LHP Cole Ragans
Grades: Rangers B+ | Royals C+

These trades reflect the diverse strategies teams employed during the 2023 MLB trade deadline. Some contenders went all-in to enhance their chances, while others focused on building for the future.

It will be interesting to see just how impactful these trades prove to be this season.

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About the author

Pablo Ricalde has been a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda since 2022. A Communication Studies graduate, he attended journalism courses and specialized in copywriting, further adding to his background as a writer.

After 4 years working in the advertising industry and 2 years in sports journalism, Pablo currently works at a Marketing Consulting firm on top of his role at Sportskeeda. He believed in sourcing information only from reliable sources, and refrains from including any opinionated content in his articles.

Pablo was introduced to baseball as a kid by his grandfather, who even coached him in Little League for a year. A massive Boston Red Sox supporter, he ended up becoming a fan in an attempt to be original (as his parents are Yankees fans). Pablo also supports the Diablos Rojos from the Mexican league, his hometown team.

His favorite players of all time are David Ortiz and Derek Jeter, while his current favorites include Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuna Jr., Alex Verdugo and Randy Arozarena. His favorite moment as a baseball fan was when the Boston Red Sox won the 2018 World Series Championship, as he was too young to remember 2004.

A huge sports fan in general, Pablo's non-baseball interests include football, basketball, American football, and motorsports (F1, IndyCar and Nascar), music and cinema.

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Edited by Pablo Ricalde