Which Deadline deals will have the biggest impact?

With the 2025 Trade Deadline in the rearview mirror, it’s time to reflect on a wild couple days of deals across the Major Leagues.

Among the 50 (!) trades executed in the final 31 hours before the Deadline, there were some long-expected deals, several major blockbusters and a few real stunners.

From the trades that might make the biggest impact in October to the moves no one saw coming, we asked 33 MLB.com experts for their thoughts on the 2025 Deadline. Here are the results.

Which player who got traded during Deadline season will have the biggest impact on his team for the rest of the regular season?

Top choice: Eugenio Suárez, SEA (13 votes)
Others: Jhoan Duran, PHI (11); Carlos Correa, HOU (4); Mason Miller, SD (2); Shane Bieber, TOR (1); Cedric Mullins, NYM (1); Josh Naylor, SEA (1)

Suárez, who was seen as the top prize in this year’s trade market, made his return to Seattle after the Mariners acquired him from the D-backs a day before the Deadline. With 36 home runs, the fifth most in the Majors, the third baseman is a power bat that can benefit any team. He’s a good fit for a Seattle club in need of thump in the lineup, and he could make a difference as the Mariners chase an American League postseason berth.

Like Suárez, Duran also fills a big hole for a contending club. The Phillies had been seeking high-leverage bullpen help at the Deadline, and there aren’t many more reliable closers than Duran. It took a high price (righty Mick Abel and catching prospect Eduardo Tait) to acquire him from Minnesota, but Philadelphia has already been rewarded: Duran has two saves in his first two appearances with his new team.

Which player who got traded during Deadline season is most likely to be a postseason star this October?

Top choice: Carlos Correa, HOU (13 votes)
Others: Mason Miller, SD (7); Eugenio Suárez, SEA (5); Jhoan Duran, PHI (4); Shane Bieber, TOR (2); Ryan Helsley, NYM (2)

It’s easy to envision Correa starring in October for Houston, considering he’s done it before: He has a .272 average, 18 homers and an .849 OPS in 334 postseason plate appearances for the Astros. Now that he’s back after a stunning trade with Minnesota (although he’s playing third base this time around), Correa could be just what the Astros need in the playoffs -- particularly if Yordan Alvarez and/or Isaac Paredes aren’t available, although Alvarez should be back by then.

A lockdown reliever can make all the difference in the postseason, something that clearly went through voters’ minds here in tabbing Miller, Duran and Helsley as potential playoff X-factors. Miller is the only one of the three without postseason experience, but that’s likely to change soon. Seeing triple-digit fastballs and nasty sliders from the newest member of the Padres’ stacked bullpen this October would be a blast.

Which "buyer" team fared the best during Deadline season?

Top choice: Padres (15 votes)
Others: Mariners (8), Mets (5), Yankees (3), Blue Jays (1), Astros (1)

The Padres paid a king’s ransom to acquire Miller and lefty JP Sears from the Athletics, but San Diego general manager A.J. Preller isn’t going to miss a chance to upgrade. Not only did the Padres add the pair of A’s pitchers, but San Diego also swung a deal with the Orioles for two highly productive hitters, Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano, got catcher Freddy Fermin from Kansas City and acquired lefty Nestor Cortes Jr. from Milwaukee. By upgrading their rotation, bullpen and lineup, the Padres set themselves up for the stretch run as well as any club.

Opinions varied, though -- a majority of MLB.com voters chose another club as the Deadline’s top buyer. The Mariners, who acquired first baseman Josh Naylor and reliever Caleb Ferguson in addition to Suárez, were a popular choice. And by adding Helsley, center fielder Cedric Mullins and relievers Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto, the Mets made some key upgrades, too.

Which "seller" team fared the best during Deadline season?

Top choice: Athletics (26 votes)
Others: Orioles (4), Giants (1), Guardians (1), Twins (1)

Parting with Miller certainly wasn’t easy, but the A’s were well compensated. They landed MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 overall prospect -- 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries -- from San Diego as the centerpiece of the blockbuster deal. The highest-rated prospect ever traded at the Deadline, De Vries is off to a strong start at High-A Lansing, going 5-for-15 with two extra-base hits in his first four games. The A’s also received Padres No. 3 prospect Braden Nett and two of San Diego’s other top-20 prospects in the trade. Losing Miller will hurt, but adding so much talent to the farm system made the A’s the top choice here, and it wasn’t close.

The Orioles were another club taking advantage of the Padres’ Trade Deadline aggressiveness, landing SIX San Diego prospects -- four of whom were ranked in the club’s Top 30 -- for O’Hearn and Laureano. The O’s also received prospects in exchange for players such as Mullins, Andrew Kittredge, Seranthony Domínguez and Ramón Urías. They likely won’t be contending for the AL East again, but they kept their core intact and added some young talent.

Which contending team had the most disappointing Deadline season?

Top choice: Cubs (13 votes)
Others: Red Sox (11), Brewers (4), Dodgers (3), Tigers (1), Twins (1)

The Cubs made a few moves at the 2025 Deadline, but many of our voters thought they could have done more. Adding utility man Willi Castro, starter Michael Soroka and relievers Taylor Rogers and Kittredge will help things but might not move the needle in a competitive National League Central. A Cubs team that could have used starting pitching help with ace Justin Steele out for the season and righty Jameson Taillon on the injured list was unable to land a big-name starter, although the market for rotation arms proved surprisingly stagnant.

The Red Sox were also considered a club that could have benefited from going big at the Deadline. Boston acquired lefty Steven Matz from the Cardinals and righty Dustin May from the Dodgers, but neither has nearly the upside of, say, Red Sox offseason acquisition Garrett Crochet. The club wasn’t able to add a right-handed bat to the mix, either. Especially in the lineup, Boston has the talent to overcome a lack of major upgrades, but its inaction could prove to be an issue down the stretch.

Which trade made during Deadline season surprised you the most?

Top choice: Carlos Correa traded from MIN to HOU (19 votes)
Others: Mason Miller traded from ATH to SD (10); Camilo Doval traded from SF to NYY (1); Dustin May traded from LAD to BOS (1); Griffin Jax traded from MIN to TB (1); Ke’Bryan Hayes traded from PIT to CIN (1)

That Correa was moved at the Deadline wasn’t a total shock. The Twins traded away a whopping 10 players from their roster in various deals, opting to blow it up and recoup prospects for the coming seasons. But the fact that Correa went BACK to Houston, where his stellar career began, was definitely a surprise. The fit makes sense given Paredes’ hamstring injury and the Astros’ need for another power bat, but this one was still a stunner.

When the A’s opted not to use Miller in a save situation the night before the Deadline and manager Mark Kotsay confirmed the decision wasn’t injury related, signs pointed to an impending trade of the flamethrowing young closer. But the fact that Miller actually was traded -- and for a huge return headlined by De Vries -- was definitely eye opening. Throw in the fact that the Padres, who already had perhaps MLB’s best bullpen, acquired him, and it’s easy to see why this trade was so surprising.