Well, the 2022 Major League Baseball trade deadline was even better than expected. Even though some big names like J.D. Martinez, Martin Perez, and even Shohei Ohtani remained unmoved, there were plenty of transactions with huge potential implications.
Most of the best players available found new homes, all but dooming their team’s seasons. In contrast, teams that were already poised to contend only got way better, so we could be in for a postseason for the ages.
Some like the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and even Milwaukee Brewers did little to get better. That’s why we’re going to point out the teams that made the best moves and got an A+ in this trade deadline.
The 3 Biggest Winners From MLB’s Trade Deadline
3. Houston Astros
The Houston Astros didn’t make a huge splash, yet they made three minor moves that addressed the few flaws on their team. They got a massive offensive upgrade at first baseman and catcher with the additions of Trey Mancini and Christian Vazquez, respectively.
Also, they landed a reliable workhorse for their bullpen in Will Smith, all while parting ways with inconsistent starter Jake Odorizzi. There wasn’t a lot of room for improvement, but they definitely got better.
2. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees added by subtraction. They finally got rid of Joey Gallo and got Andrew Benintendi and Harrison Bader to revamp their outfield. Unfortunately, it cost them Jordan Montgomery, but replacing him with Frankie Montas was a major move by Brian Cashman.
The Bronx Bombers also landed a solid reliever in Lou Trivino and a nice prospect in Clayton Beeter. They failed toland their top target Luis Castillo and didn’t enter the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but it’s not like they needed to do a lot to improve their roster.
1. San Diego Padres
General Manager A.J. Preller deserves a raise. He put the San Diego Padres in a position to contend right now and for the next 15 years by landing generational star Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals. On top of that, he also got Josh Bell in the blockbuster trade.
Moreover, the Padres also added the best closer in the game in Josh Hader and a versatile hitter in Brandon Drury. This was a franchise-altering deadline for the Friars, and they now look like the team to beat in the Majors, at least on paper.