Five Biggest Upgrades of the MLB Trade Deadline

A few contenders have to be thrilled after what they were able to accomplish this week.

The 2025 MLB trade deadline is behind us, and after 24 of the wildest hours Major League Baseball has ever seen, several teams emerged far better than they began the day. Despite sky-high prices, there were blockbusters galore with a number of All-Stars changing hands and teams across the league deciding to throw caution to the wind and go all-in.

Here are the teams that made the biggest upgrades at the deadline.

Seattle Mariners acquire third baseman Eugenio Suárez

The Mariners entered the month of July desperately needing to upgrade their corner infield positions. They did just that in two trades with the Diamondbacks, landing Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez a few days apart. Suárez is the real upgrade here.

As the deadline crossed, Seattle’s third basemen had combined to produce 0.2 WAR, a .664 OPS, five home runs, and 35 RBIs. Suárez arrives slashing .248/.320/.575 for an OPS of .895, with 36 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a wRC+ of 143. That’s a big improvement from Ben Williamson’s wRC+ of 76. Suárez is a massive upgrade for a team that wanted to go all-in and take advantage of catcher Cal Raleigh’s historic season.

Naylor and Suárez will combine to bring a ton of offense to a team that is 12th in the majors in runs scored and 10th in OPS (.730). Seattle did what it needed to do at the deadline to give itself a boost in the race for the American League West crown.

San Diego Padres land left fielder Ramón Laureano

A lot can be said about the Padres’ trade deadline—and I've said some of it—but they did manage to fill their biggest need, and get more on top of it. After the truly puzzling blockbuster for Mason Miller, San Diego made one of the best moves of the day, landing Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn from the Orioles in exchange for six prospects.

Padres left fielders currently rank 29th in baseball, having generated -0.7 WAR this season. They rank 28th in OPS (.613) with a collective slash line of .229/.283/.330 and seven home runs. The position has been a turnstile since the season kicked off. Jason Heyward started things off, then a laundry list of guys followed—all failing spectacularly one after another.

Laureano immediately upgrades the position. He’s slashing .290/.355/.529 with an OPS of .884, 15 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a wRC+ of 144. Given his career track record, it’s fair to expect some regression before the end of the season, but even so, he’s a massive improvement over the current group at the position.

A few days ago, I called for the Padres to chase Laureano and fill their most obvious need. He will fit perfectly in a lineup surrounded by Manny Machado, Fernando Tatís Jr., Jackson Merrill, Luis Arráez, a re-emerging Xander Bogaerts and O’Hearn. And to make things even better, his contract carries a cheap club option for 2026. This was a great move for San Diego.

VERDUCCI: MLB Trade Deadline Reflects Desperate Need for Postseason Bullpen Arms

Carlos Mendoza (left) has a new set of arms to use out of the bullpen for the Mets’ stretch run. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Mets overhaul bullpen

The Mets made a few moves I liked, including the addition of Cedric Mullins to fill a huge hole in center field. But more significant than that was New York’s bullpen teardown. Edwin Díaz has returned to an elite level in 2025 after some struggles in 2024, but getting him the ball has been an issue in Queens. That should end now.

The team’s bullpen currently ranks 11th in ERA (3.80), but it has now leveled up considerably. Over a few days, the Mets traded for Tyler Rogers, Ryan Helsley and Gregory Soto, adding to a group that included Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett and Brooks Raley.

Rogers is a submariner who is unconventional but gets people out. In 53 appearances for the Giants this season, he is 4–3 with a 1.80 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 38 strikeouts against four walks in 50 innings. Soto, who already has a few games with the team, is a hard-throwing lefty who hitters find nearly impossible to barrel up. His xERA (3.32) and xBA (.221) show underlying metrics that are better than his 3.79 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.

In Helsley, the Mets added the 2024 NL Reliever of the Year, a power righty whose fastball averages 99.3 mph and whose slider garners a 45.6% whiff rate. Opposing batters are hitting .092 off of it. On the season, Helsley is 3–1 with a 3.00 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 41 strikeouts against 14 walks in 36 innings. He is 21 of 26 in save chances, but he will now move into a setup role in front of Díaz. He should thrive there before hitting free agency this winter.

Expect to hear Timmy Trumpet playing far more often at Citi Field over the next few weeks.

Philadelphia Phillies get top closer available in Jhoan Durán

Mason Miller aside, the Phillies landed the best closer available at this year’s deadline and filled their biggest need in the process. This season, the team’s relievers rank 24th in ERA (4.48) and have already blown 17 of 44 save opportunities. Enter Jhoan Durán.

The Phillies were willing to give up two good prospects to acquire Durán from the Minnesota Twins, but the upgrade was necessary. The 27-year-old righty is 6–4 with a 2.01 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings, with 16 saves in 18 chances. Durán’s elite fastball averages 100.2 mph, and he produces outstanding chase and whiff rates. His splitter averages 97.5 mph and opposing batters are hitting just .221 against it.

Durán is one of the best closers in baseball and his addition means the rest of the bullpen can drop down into lower-leverage situations. Now Matt Strahm, Tanner Banks and Orion Kerkering can focus on being setup men for their new ninth-inning guy.

New York Yankees re-do bullpen

The Yankees got better at several spots leading up to Thursday’s deadline, but nowhere more so than the bullpen. Yes, the additions of Ryan McMahon, Austin Slater, Amed Rosario and José Caballero will help, but they weren’t the big news. As a group, New York’s relief corps has struggled for long stretches this season and needed a complete refresh.

General manager Brian Cashman made good on his promise to go all-in by landing three new arms for the back end of his bullpen. Yankees relievers rank 20th in ERA (4.19), but should get a serious boost after landing closer David Bednar from the Pirates, Camilo Doval from the Giants and Jake Bird from the Rockies.

Bednar has been excellent in a bounce-back season, posting a 2.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts against 10 walks in 38 innings. He is a perfect 17-for-17 in save chances. He has returned to being an elite closer after struggling in 2024. Doval isn’t having the season he had in 2023, when he saved 39 games, but he boasts a 3.09 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. While his fastball is much more hittable this season, his slider is still outstanding. As for Bird, he needed to get out of Denver and should improve as a result. In 45 appearances, he is 4–1 with a 4.73 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 62 strikeouts against 23 walks in 53 1/3 innings. Despite those ugly numbers, he has an xERA of 3.59 and his sweeper can be really good.

The Yankees can score runs; now their bullpen should be able to prevent them.

Switch Hit: All aboard the Bethell bus

England have picked uncapped Jacob Bethell at No. 3 for the first New Zealand Test. Alan Gardner is joined by Vithushan Ehantharajah, Andrew Miller and Matt Roller to preview the series

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-2024England have pitched up in New Zealand for their Test tour, but are already on to their third wicketkeeper – with Jordan Cox, deputising for Jamie Smith, injured in the nets. That, in turn, has led to a Test debut for Jacob Bethell, batting at No. 3 while Ollie Pope drops down the order with the gloves. Keeping up? Don’t worry, this week’s pod will help you out, as Alan Gardner speaks to Vithushan Ehantharajah in Christchurch and then discusses the latest Baz-call with Andrew Miller and Matt Roller. Is Bethell ready for his sudden promotion? Should Joe Root be doing the job at first drop? And are England getting too funky for their own good. All that, as well as their prospects for the series against a resurgent New Zealand.

موعد والقنوات الناقلة لمباراة السودان والعراق اليوم في كأس العرب 2025

يلتقي منتخب السودان، اليوم السبت، مع نظيره العراق، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العرب 2025 المقامة في دولة قطر.

وتقام مباراة السودان والعراق على استاد 974 ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات ببطولة كأس العرب 2025.

طالع | مجموعة العراق المحتملة في كأس العالم 2026

وكان منتخب السودان قد تعادل في الجولة الأولى مع الجزائر سلبيًا، بينما فاز منتخب العراق على البحرين بهدفين لهدف.

ويحتل المنتخب العراقي الصدارة برصيد ثلاث نقاط، ثم الجزائر والسودان في المركزين الثاني والثالث بنقطة وحيدة، وأخيرا البحرين رابعا دون نقاط. موعد مباراة السودان والعراق في كأس العرب

وتنطلق المباراة بين السودان والعراق في الساعة السادسة مساء بتوقيت مصر والسودان، والساعة السابعة مساء بتوقيت الدوحة والسعودية والعراق. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة السودان والعراق في كأس العرب

وتبث المباراة عبر قنوات بي إن سبورتس HD المفتوحة، بالإضافة إلى قناة الكأس، أبوظبي الرياضية، ودبي الرياضية وإم بي سي مصر 2.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Why No Players Attended the 2025 MLB Draft in Person

For the first time in 15 years, no players will be attending the 2025 MLB draft. There are a number of reasons for that, but it's still odd to see a professional draft without anyone who is being drafted in attendance.

The MLB draft has never been packed with players likely to be selected. Unlike the NFL, NBA, and NHL drafts, only a handful of players typically show up in person for baseball's draft night. According to Jake Mintz of Yahoo! Sports, over the 18-year history of the in-person draft, only 75 players have been on-site, and only two No. 1 picks have attended.

Things have changed this year, and that's partly due to NIL. Players want to be paid for appearances these days and MLB isn't going to pay them to show up. On top of that, some agents are advising their clients not to attend because there's nothing to gain by showing up before contracts have been negotiated.

Super agent Scott Boras, for one, has never had a player he represented attend the draft. Other agencies have followed suit—the idea being that a player attending and putting on the jersey of the team that selects him could give up some leverage in contract negotiations.

In the end, it's likely far more comfortable for players to watch the draft at home with their families than fly to attend in person, especially if there's a chance that player would drop. Given the downsides laid out by agents, it makes far more sense to go that route than go in person.

The MLB draft has never held the same allure as its NFL and NBA counterparts. Players selected in the draft may not see the major leagues for years, so it's hard for fans to get attached to them. Guys like Paul Skenes and Jac Caglianone who make the big leagues quickly are rare, so interest in the event is muted.

Without players in attendance, the excitement around the MLB draft is lessened even more.

A’s Announcer Responds After Brutally Botching Home Run Call He Thought Was Foul

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler broke his team's game against the Houston Astros wide open on Saturday night thanks to a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning. You wouldn't know that, however, if you were simply listening to the broadcast.

As Butler's bomb off Houston reliever Hector Neris soared into straightaway center field, A's broadcaster Chris Caray somehow saw it differently—and announced that the ball had gone foul.

"High in the air deep to right," he exclaimed. "That ball is foul … Or gone?"

Luckily, Caray's broadcast partner saw where the ball landed and was able to pick up the slack for the booth.

Take a listen to the botched call:

After the game, Caray admitted to his mistake, posting on X (formerly Twitter), that he "totally lost [the ball] in the lights."

"No excuses," he continued. "Unfair to Butler and our fans that I messed it up as badly as I did. This is completely and totally on me! Wish I could have it back but that’s baseball. I apologize and will be better tomorrow."

Good on him for admitting his mistake.

The A's eventual 5-1 win over the Astros brings them to a measly 45-62 on the season. Houston, meanwhile, falls to 60-45 while still maintaining a 4.5 game lead in the American League West.

Em briga de gigantes, Palmeiras define futura fornecedora de material esportivo

MatériaMais Notícias

Após uma novela que durou quase um mês, enfim o Palmeiras deve ter a confirmação de qual empresa será a fornecedora de material esportivo do clube a partir da temporada de 2025.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasEx-presidente do Palmeiras ironiza John Textor por acusações de arbitragem: ‘1º de abril!’Palmeiras01/04/2024PalmeirasRômulo joga? Palmeiras define inscritos na Libertadores; veja listaPalmeiras01/04/2024BotafogoDono do Botafogo, John Textor acusa: ‘Temos provas de que o Palmeiras vem sendo beneficiado por dois anos’Botafogo01/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

Mesmo com o forte assédio da Adidas, a Puma conseguiu vencer a batalha e deve renovar o atual contrato para seguir por mais três anos patrocinando o clube.

A informação foi dada pelo portal ‘Nosso Palestra’, e agora a empresa alemã prepara o vídeo de anúncio da renovação campeã com o Palmeiras. A parceria nasceu em 2019 e, desde então, o clube empilhou taças com a nova fornecedora.

continua após a publicidade

Mesmo diante de uma boa proposta da Adidas, a Puma foi a empresa que ofereceu um valor maior, com um reajuste de 25% em relação à quantia que é atualmente paga, totalizando R$ 50 milhões anuais – entre dinheiro e royalties.

➡️ Com apenas R$50, você pode levar mais de R$240 no Lance! Betting se o Grêmio vencer o The Strongest

O novo vínculo da empresa alemã com o Verdão contará com metas, que podem aumentar as cifras para R$ 60 milhões.

Tudo sobre

Futebol NacionalPalmeirasPuma

Van Dijk's new Matip: Liverpool now chasing "sensational" Guehi alternative

Five years ago, Jurgen Klopp watched his Liverpool team crumble as injuries overwhelmed them. They had just won the Premier League, and the year before, christened what was to be a historic chapter when the boss led them to victory in the Champions League.

Lightning has struck twice. Arne Slot dominated the English game last year and won the title with such confidence, but Liverpool have fallen apart after a summer of significant spending, faulty across any number of areas and bereft of fluency and coherence.

There is maybe a need for patience, and for allowing these new cogs to connect with the Slot machine, but then the flip side of that would be that there is no excusing the error-strewn displays, and inability to react to opposition approaches.

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher called it a crisis, with the Merseysiders having lost four Premier League matches on the bounce.

And while many exciting attacking signings were made, with the full-back ranks reshaped, Liverpool are leaving so much to be desired defensively, and changes are surely needed.

Liverpool's need for centre-backs

Virgil van Dijk has for so long been a pillar of strength and leadership at Liverpool. Both things remain true, but the captain turned 34 in July and, while still immense, lacks the structure around him to give rise to his finest football.

To put that another way, Liverpool are a bit of a mess at the back, and Van Dijk has been carried along with the current across recent weeks.

Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes have overseen a stylistic restructure across Liverpool’s backline, and this has knocked things out of kilter. Questions must be asked of the strategy behind adding Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to the ranks, neither of whom appear to be glove-tight fits.

And the fumbled deal for Crystal Palace centre-half Marc Guehi has aggravated the issue. Liverpool sold Jarell Quansah this summer, and Giovanni Leoni, 18, is out for the season after suffering an ACL injury on his debut. Guehi was needed, but Liverpool left it late, and the Eagles didn’t want to play ball after missing out on targets of their own.

With that in mind, it appears the Reds have set their sights on a bid for Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano. According to Spanish sources, Liverpool joined by Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid in angling for a move in 2026.

The France international is out of contract at the end of the term, and while the Bundesliga giants are desperate to seal his renewal, the 27-year-old may be tempted by lucrative offers from the Premier League and La Liga.

Why Liverpool want to sign Upamecano

Liverpool struck gold in the past when they landed a talented defender from the Bundesliga on a free transfer. Indeed, Joel Matip played a defining role in the Klopp era, playing 201 games for the club, scoring 11 goals and supplying six assists.

He won the Premier League and the Champions League among further honours, notably playing in Divock Origi for the Belgian’s conclusive goal against Tottenham in Madrid, six years ago.

It all started when the Cameroonian agreed to join Klopp’s nascent project in February 2016, arriving at the end of the 2015/16 campaign.

Van Dijk has had many partners at the back, but when Matip was fully-fit and firing beside him, Klopp’s behemoths formed quite the partnership.

Now, with Upamecano approaching the end of his journey at the Allianz Arena, FSG are desperate to capitalise once again.

Bayern signed the Frenchman from divisional rivals RB Leipzig in 2021 for a reported £38m fee. He had been described as an “elite talent and a joy to watch” by scout Jacek Kulig before his move to Bayern.

Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano

And he’s gone from strength to strength since. Indeed, the tough-tackling star has polished his skillset to a standard that would befit a starring, much-scrutinised role in Slot’s Liverpool side. Should Liverpool pull this off, they may even forget all about that botched bid for Guehi.

Hailed for his “sensational” defensive ability by writer Mohammed Butt, Upamecano has the experience, athleticism and technical quality to make his mark on the Premier League, perhaps even bringing a more complete brand than someone like Guehi.

Van Dijk will expect to captain Liverpool next season, and the Dutchman’s cultured shift into his veteran years suggests that, with a more stable framework around him, he could see his club achieve their goals.

Guehi might have the experience within the English game, but Upamecano would fancy himself a cut above, boasting a wealth of top-level experience and with much silverware in the bank.

In 2025, he has also, crucially, established himself as a starting centre-back for Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus side, and with the World Cup on the horizon, this tells much of his quality and the faith of those above him.

Bayern Munich

164

5 (10)

RB Leipzig

154

4 (3)

France

34

2 (0)

FC Liefering

16

0 (0)

A ball-playing defender, data-driven platform FBref suggest that there is a likeness between Upamecano and former Anfield star Quansah, though Slot would hope to bring in a more refined and cultured presence than the up-and-comer he deemed unfit for a starring role in his project.

FBref reveal that, over the past 12 months, Upamecano ranks among the top 4% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion and progressive passes, the top 1% for passes attempted, the top 11% for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for recoveries made per 90. Clearly, he’s got the skills and physicality to succeed in the Premier League.

Though Liverpool remain in the mix for Guehi, his free agency will attract the biggest sharks across the continent.

Not only would the £166k-per-week Upamecano prove a worthy fallback, but he might even be the better pick.

The new Thiago: Liverpool "superstar" is becoming a "huge disappointment"

This Liverpool mainstay has flattered to deceive this season.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

Better dribbler than Yamal: Liverpool readying £65m offer to sign "electric" star

With Mohamed Salah on course to leave the club in 2027, Liverpool are reportedly preparing a big-money offer to sign an impressive winger who’s an even better dribbler than Lamine Yamal.

Players who could replace Salah at Liverpool

Replacing Salah is an impossible task at Anfield, but Liverpool will have no choice but to get as close as they can to doing exactly that when 2027 arrives and the Egyptian’s contract comes to an end.

He will go down as one of their greatest players of all time, sitting alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish, alongside Steven Gerrard and others. That’s the level that the Reds will have to replace.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool record

Appearances

411

Goals

248

Assists

116

Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are always up for a transfer challenge, however, and have already reportedly set their sights on Michael Olise to replace one of the best Premier League wingers of all time.

The Bayern Munich star wouldn’t be a bad option in the slightest. He has reached a new level on the big stage and could be destined to return to English football with a bang.

Although a different type of player to goalscorer Salah, Liverpool could look towards a creative type rather than a player of the Egyptian’s ilk now that they’ve got an out-and-out No.9 in Alexander Isak.

Rather than replacing Salah’s goals with one player, it seems as though those at Anfield have commenced their plan to duplicate their star man in the aggregate.

Liverpool now racing PSG to sign "excellent" £80m star likened to Desire Doue

He’d be an excellent addition.

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 16, 2025

That means that Olise isn’t the only one in Liverpool’s sights. Instead of signing the Frenchman, reports are now suggesting that the Reds are ready to make an offer for an impressive La Liga star.

Liverpool readying Williams offer

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now readying a €75m (£65m) offer to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Club. The Spain international has found himself on their radar even after signing a new contract instead of joining Barcelona in the summer.

Whilst that £65m fee may seem like a hefty price, it is still below Williams’ reported €90m (£78m) release clause. If Liverpool are serious about securing his signature, then they may have no choice but to spend big once again rather than eyeing a cut-price deal.

La Liga 25/26

Williams

Yamal

Minutes

291

303

Goals

1

1

Assists

1

3

Take-on success

48.5%

47.7%

Beating defenders at a better rate than Yamal, one of the world’s best wingers, Williams is not someone to be overlooked. Having been praised as “electric” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the 23-year-old is a star in waiting and needs that big move to arrive.

He stayed loyal to Athletic Club in the summer, but Liverpool must test that loyalty when 2026 arrives and Salah enters the final year of his current contract at Anfield.

MLB Fans Confused by Alex Cora’s Refusal to Pull Red Sox Rookie During Yankees' Rally

Much was made entering Thursday of the fact that Game 3 of the Red Sox and Yankees' American League wild-card series would match two rookie pitchers—an acknowledgement, perhaps, that the lights might be a bit bright for one or both of them.

When Boston pitcher Connelly Early proved overwhelmed by the moment Thursday, however, something truly unexpected happened: Red Sox manager Alex Cora did him no favors. As New York put four runs on the board in the fourth inning, Cora flummoxed fans by declining repeatedly to pull—or even talk to—Early until the last possible moment.

Baseball's talking class had a lot to say about Cora's moves—or lack thereof. For instance, they marveled at how late Cora was even to warm up another pitcher (Justin Slaten eventually replaced Early).

Even Yankees writers were left to wonder at Cora's process.

Don't worry—Boston will be ready to go in February.

Cora's leadership throughout the entire series was called into question.

Fortunately, Early's name lends itself easily to puns.

The Virginia product seems certain to learn from this. Will his skipper?

Pedro Martinez Gleefully Informs Yankees’ Fans About Their New Daddy

The Yankees lost to the Blue Jays on Wednesday night and were eliminated from the postseason. It has now been 16 years since New York won a World Series and despite the fact that this is now a common occurance, many people still seem to find fresh joy in the latest Yankees elimination. Especially those associated with the Red Sox.

On FS1 Boston postseason legend David Ortiz made sure that retired Yankees Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez knew that "daaa Yankees lose!" Meanwhile, over on the Turner networks, Pedro Martinez got to explain who the Yankees' new daddy is.

"For so many years those fans in New York bothered me with asking me 'Pedro, who's your daddy,'" Martinez told his co-hosts. "I said O.K. O.K. I'm going to take it like a man. 'Pedro, who's your daddy? Even little kids. 'Pedro, who's your daddy? I'll be like, 'O.K. little kid. You're pretty cute, man.' I'll be so happy. But once we beat 'em, I'm like 'you better consider, who's your daddy now?' Yeah. And now I finally realize who their daddy is. My godson. Oh yeah. Vladdy Jr. is their daddy. And that is a fact. And I'm so happy for that. Now they don't have to search anywhere. They just have to look at Vladdy and really say 'you're my daddy Vladdy.'"

As Martinez mentioned there, he is the godfather of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which technically makes him the Yankees godgranddaddy now.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus