The 3 Biggest Trades at the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline
The Major League Baseball (MLB) trade deadline represents the last opportunity for teams to improve their rosters—or trade expiring contracts for young prospects—during the season. While some of the major stars rumored to be dealt stayed put, the 2024 MLB trade deadline featured a flurry of activity with the Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Seattle Mariners, among other teams, bolstering their rosters ahead of the playoffs.
Here's a look at three of the most impactful moves prior to the July 30 deadline.
Mariners Acquire Randy Arozarena
Seattle was among the league leaders in pitching prior to the deadline, but were in desperate need of an offensive boost. They addressed that by acquiring veteran All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Aidan Smith and right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins, ranked 12th and 22nd, respectively, among Mariners prospects. The Mariners had a 10-game lead in the American League (AL) West standings as of June 18, but were one game behind the Houston Astros by the trade deadline, in large part due to their offensive struggles.
A former AL Rookie of the Year and ALCS MVP, Arozarena was hitting just .211 but had 15 home runs and 37 RBI in 100 games with the Rays this season. He hit .254 with 23 home runs and 83 RBI in 2023. Seattle also acquired Justin Turner from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Dodgers Bolster Pitching Staff
The Dodgers, meanwhile, added depth and stability to an overworked and oft-injured starting rotation by acquiring Jack Flaherty, arguably the top pitcher available, from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for shortstop Trey Sweeney and catcher/first baseman Thayron Liranzo. A 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-handed pitcher from Burbank, California, Flaherty had his best season in 2019 with the Cardinals, finishing fourth in National League (NL) Cy Young voting after going 11-8 with a 2.75 ERA and leading the league with a 0.968 WHIP. He was 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA and 0.956 WHIP this season with the Tigers.
Struggling Blue Jays Trade Veteran Players
The Blue Jays were among the league's most disappointing teams in 2024, but made the most out of the trade deadline, trading away several veterans for promising prospects. Listing them as one of the winners of the trade deadline, USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted they "may have been perhaps baseball's most underachieving team on the field, but they have overachieved off the field."
Toronto received three of Houston's top-10 prospects—outfielder Joey Loperfido, infielder Will Wagner, and pitcher Jake Bloss—for pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. They also added several other prospects in separate deals for veterans Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Kevin Kiermaier, Turner, Danny Jansen, Trevor Richards, Nate Pearson, and Yimi Garcia.