MLB power rankings after trade deadline: Best, worst teams after 2024 MLB trade deadline
By Matt Johnson,
5 hours ago
Who is the best team in baseball? The 2024 MLB trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, providing us a chance to evaluate every team in our latest MLB power rankings. While the play on the field will ultimately determine how these trades shake out, we can evaluate the rosters clubs have now.
It certainly proved to be an eventful MLB trade deadline. While we didn’t see all the All-Star players floated in MLB trade rumors moved, there were plenty of deals that will impact the postseason race and the World Series. With that in mind, let’s dive into our MLB power rankings after the MLB trade deadline.
MLB power rankings: Worst MLB teams in 2024
30. Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are the worst team in baseball after the MLB trade deadline. Of course, that’s a title they’ve held onto for the entire season. This summer presented Chicago with a golden opportunity to clean out the roster and reload the farm system, but Luis Robert stuck around and the return in the Erick Fedde trade felt light. We might see the 2028 Summer Olympics before we see the White Sox in the playoffs.
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29. Miami Marlins
That’s how you sell at the MLB trade deadline. Everyone recognized the Luis Arraez trade months ago as a sign the Miami Marlins wanted to completely rebuild and they followed through on that plan. We like the return in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade and Miami did a nice job adding both quantity and quality to its farm system. There’s going to be some bad baseball in Miami for a few years, but at least there is hope for the future.
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28. Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics largely stood pat at the MLB trade deadline. Instead of trading an All-Star closer with a history of injury concerns, the A’s announced before Mason Miller’s injury that he was staying. Likewise, Oakland decided not to trade Brent Rooker at the peak of his trade value when he’s approaching 30 years old. Standing pat is excusable in a lost season, but not for a rebuilding team with a mediocre farm system. We can’t justify the A’s lack of activity.
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27. Los Angels Angels
The Los Angeles Angels took advantage of a seller’s market, getting a haul for Carlos Estevez. It’s the kind of deal for prospects that this team has needed for some time. What’s difficult for Los Angeles moving forward is this is still an aging roster, with Mike Trout stuck on it. There’s promise for the future, but we can’t help but wonder when or if Trout can get himself off this sunk ship.
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26. Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies did what they always do at the MLB trade deadline, very little. A team with an average farm system and the second-most losses in baseball (165-266 record) since Opening Day 2022 shouldn’t be passive. Keeping Ryan McMahon, who will likely be in a contract year (2027) by the time the Rockies are contenders again, is just not a smart way to operate a team. All of that is to say, we expect the Rockies to be near the bottom of our MLB power rankings throughout next season, too.
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25. Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are one of the worst MLB teams in 2024, but this season should still be considered a win. The emergence of CJ Abrams ( 3.4 ESPN Wins Above Replacement ) and the arrival of James Wood give hope for next season. Washinton also used very strong seasons from its veterans to flip them for prospects. The Nationals will finish the year near the bottom of the MLB standings , but there’s plenty to feel good about.
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24. Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays treated this lost 2024 season exactly as it should’ve been handled. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who wants to stay in Toronto, gets his wish. As for Bo Bichette, injuries and an ugly season at the plate, left the Blue Jays front office with no choice but to keep him. While that took blockbuster trades off the table, Toronto did an excellent job flipping the likes of Justin Turner and Yusei Kikuchi for quality prospects and depth. It will take a strong offseason this winter, but the Blue Jays are one of the few teams in the bottom third of our MLB power rankings with a shot of competing for a Wild Card spot next year.
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23. Tampa Bay Rays
Expectations were too high for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024. Injuries and offseason deals ensured this club had no real chance of being competitive. So, when the MLB trade deadline rolled around, the Rays front office put on a clinic showcasing how to sell. Tampa Bay’s farm system is much deeper than it was before and they already had some nice top-shelf talent. Summers like this are a stepping stone for the Rays becoming perennial contenders a few years from now.
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22. San Francisco Giants
At some point, a conversation needs to be had about Farhan Zaidi. The San Francisco Giants spent over $100 million this spring on Matt Chapman, Jorge Soler and Blake Snell. By Opening Day 2025, at least two of those players will be gone. That leaves San Francisco with a below-average farm system, no star talent in the majors and payroll that is alarmingly high for a team that is far from relevancy. It might be time for change at the top.
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21. Chicago Cubs
We’re not exactly sure what the Isaac Paredes trade accomplished for the Chicago Cubs. Putting a hitter who is in the 9th percentile for abt speed ( 68.2 ) with the second-highest Pull rate in the majors in the “Windy City” at Wrigley Field is one of the worst player-park fits imaginable. That was the Cubs’ headline move of the summer. The Cubs have been one of the worst MLB teams since May 1 and they made one of the most baffling moves of the MLB trade deadline.
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MLB power rankings after the MLB trade deadline
20. Cincinnati Reds
An inconsistent team for most of the season – 4 games below .500 with a +41 run differential – the Cincinnati Reds wisely didn’t overreact one way or the other at the MLB trade deadline. Cincinnati knew it didn’t have a realistic shot at contention and a firesale didn’t make sense either. So, the Reds traded away depth and that improved the talent pool in the minor leagues. It’s not splashy, but it was the right thing to do.
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19. Detroit Tigers
There can be debates for years over whether or not the Detroit Tigers should’ve traded Tarik Skubal. It’s clear the Tigers lineup has a lot of holes, and parting ways with the ace could’ve provided some long-term fixes. On the other hand, Skubal can be moved this winter and the market might be even stronger. Plus, if this summer taught us anything, it’s that teams are willing to pay more than ever for starting pitching.
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18. Pittsburgh Pirates
If the Pittsburgh Pirates added a big bat, this could’ve been one of the biggest risers in our MLB power rankings. A team with the 9th-lowest ERA (3.81) since May 1 and a front-lines starting rotation of Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller and Jared Jones is worthy of a lot of excitement. Unfortunately, the Pirates lineup – 27th in OBP and 28th in slugging – just isn’t good enough. No, adding Bryan De La Cruz (.289 OBP) doesn’t move the needle much. Our hope is that bigger additions are made this offseason, leading to Pittsburgh taking off in 2025.
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17. Arizona Diamondbacks
There’s hope for the reigning National League champions. At the MLB trade deadline, the Arizona Diamondbacks had the second-most wins (31) since June 1 and the second-most wins in July (15). Arizona can thank its lineup (.825 OPS, 3rd in MLB) for that. As for whether or not the DIamondbacks sneak into October, hope rests on the shoulders of a rotation that has been just as bad in July (4.74 ERA) as it was when this team had a sub-.500 record.
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16. St. Louis Cardinals
We certainly like the addition fo Erick Fedde, especially for what he cost the St. Louis Cardinals. Even if Fedde’s 2024 season (3.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 108 Ks in 121.12 IP) is an outlier, St. Louis still has a starter for 2025 at a bargain salary ($7.5 million). It’s just not big enough of a needle-mover to believe the Cardinals are ready to compete with MLB’s top clubs. Making the playoffs is possible, but it will be a short stay in October.
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15. Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers are 14-9 in July with a 3.78 ERA, that’s promising. Texas is banking on Jon Gray (late August), Tyler Mahle (early August) and Jacob deGrom (late August) returning as their big moves. It could work out, if everyone stays healthy, but that’s a Texas-sized caveat. We wouldn’t rule out a healthy Rangers team making a playoff run, but it would be foolish to bet on it happening.
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14. Kansas City Royals
We don’t fault the Kansas City Royals for being passing at the MLB trade deadline. A club with a 23-25 record in the last two months that had low expectations coming into the season shouldn’t overcommit to a one-year run. The Royals top prospects stuck around and Kansas City should just enjoy experiencing a playoff race until the Chiefs’ season kicks off in September.
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13. New York Mets
The New York Mets have the best record in baseball this month (16-9) and the most wins (32) in the last two months. Victories have come against the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins during that run. So, while New York didn’t make a blockbuster trade, a two-month span is a big enough sample size to believe in the talent already on the Mets roster.
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12. Boston Red Sox
It’s fair to say the Boston Red Sox didn’t take an aggressive approach to the MLB trade deadline, or anything close to it. Lucas Sims adds some depth to the Red Sox bullpen and James Paxton can be a No. 5 starter, but Paxton was also DFAd by the Los Angeles Dodgers. If Boston is going to make the playoffs, it will require that .826 OPS since June 1 (1st in MLB) to be close to the standard in August and September.
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11. San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres lost out on Jack Flaherty and other top starting pitchers, but they will beat some teams with their bullpen. It wasn’t cheap to acquire Tanner Scott and Jason Adam and San Diego knows it. With that said, the Padres bullpen now becomes one of this team’s strengths. If this Padres lineup can continue producing at a high rate (1st in batting average and 10th in slugging), that new-look bullpen will have plenty of leads to protect.
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Best MLB teams right now
10. Minnesota Twins
Budget limitations were always going to stand in the way of the Minnesota Twins making real improvements to the roster via trade. So, what we have is a roster that is nearly 10 games below .500 ( 24-33 ) against teams with winning records this season and a pitching staff that ranks 18th in ERA (4.35) since June 1. The Twins lineup is very good, but the starting rotation and bullpen aren’t at the standard necessary to make a deep postseason run.
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9. Houston Astros
What the Houston Astros did at the MLB trade deadline didn’t inspire confidence in their World Series hopes. Yes, Yusei Kikuchi allows Houston to move to a six-man rotation and there’s some upside that could make him a playoff starter. With that said, Houston overpaid big time for a half-season rental. The Astros still deserve a top 10 spot in the MLB power rankings because this team is 30-18 since June 1 and that’s largely with Justin Verlander, Kyle Tucker and Luis Garcia on the injured list.
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8. Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves making it to the No. 8 spot in our MLB power rankings says everything about the rest of the league. Atlanta posted a 14-13 record in June and entered the MLB trade deadline with a 10-13 record in July. Obviously, the pitching has been great but the Braves lineup has been an eyesore. Maybe Jorge Soler will turn things around in Atlanta, but both his and the Braves’ 2024 season suggests that is unlikely.
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7. Seattle Mariners
This is banking on the upside with the Seattle Mariners. No team in baseball was more desperate for some extra juice in their lineup than Seattle, Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner can provide that. Aroarena (.935 OPS since June 1) and Turner should be enough to make this an average lineup. If that happens, the additions made to the bullpen give Seattle one of the best pitching staffs on MLB. We love the ingredients, it’s all just a question of if it will all come together and work.
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6. Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers need more depth for their starting rotation and they got exactly that. Aaron Civale hasn’t been anything great since he landed (1.43 WHIP in 21 innings), but they’ve gotten 5-plus innings out of him three times over that run. Frankie Montas has front-line stuff, but poor command and home runs likely make him more of a No. 4 starter. It’s good enough for the Brewers to make the playoffs, but this isn’t a team that should be feared in October.
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5. Cleveland Guardians
It proved to be a relatively quiet trade deadline for the Cleveland Guardians. Lane Thomas ( .326/.410/.512 versus left-handed pitchers) will make some impact, but it’s also worth keeping in mind he is awful (.224/.299/.364) versus righties. We’re more than 100 games into the season and the Guardians’ +76 run differential is legitimate, but this is also a club that has taken advantage of playing some of the worst MLB teams this season. If the Guardians are going to surprise people in October, it will all come down to the gamble on Alex Cobb and the hope he stays healthy and then replicates his excellent work in San Francisco (3.80 ERA in 301 innings pitched from 2022-’23).
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4. New York Yankees
Similar to some of the best teams in MLB, the New York Yankees have both players coming off the IL and incoming talent joining them from trades. Jazz Chisholm Jr. might be overrated as an impact player, but his speed, power and versatility make the Yankees better. Plus, Giancarlo Stanton’s return provides some much-needed depth and power for the Yankees lineup. How far New York makes it in October, though, will come down to the pitching staff. It hasn’t been a strength for two months (4.81 ERA, 28th in MLB) and that’s why things could get ugly in a hurry for the Yankees front office and staff if things aren’t turned around.
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3. Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies have the fifth-worst record in baseball (10-12) in July. Going back even further, the Phillies record since the London Series is 20-21. As for who is to blame for it, you don’t have to look much further than a Phillies bullpen that has the fifth-worst ERA (4.92) in MLB since June 10. That’s where the addition of Carlos Estevez, the best reliever moved at the MLB trade deadline should help. Unfortunately, our confidence in the Phillies is still low over the next few weeks due to injuries that have hit their rotation. With that said, this is still one of the best teams in baseball with a roster that few clubs can match. If not for the Jack Flaherty trade, Philadelphia would’ve ranked ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Just as important as the additions at the MLB trade deadline – Jack Flaherty, Kevin Kiermaier, Michael Kopech, Tommy Edman and Amed Rosario – the Los Angeles Dodgers move up the MLB power rankings because of health. Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw came off the IL, Walker Buehler isn’t far behind. As for the Dodgers line, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy should rejoin it at some point in August. Health will remain a concern moving forward, but the Dodgers roster when healthy with the additions made can definitively win in October.
Now we can get to the additions. Edman, if healthy, can provide Los Angeles with excellent defense in the middle infield or he can play the outfield if needed. Flaherty, one of the best pitchers in the AL this season, adds another front-line starter to the Dodgers rotation at a time when there are questions regarding when Yoshinobu Yamamoto return. Kiermaier ( 96th percentile Fielding Run Value ) provides Gold Glove defense in the outfield and the Dodgers know quite well what Rosario can do. The Dodgers are as dangerous as ever.
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1. Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are the best team in MLB. While Baltimore didn’t make monumental additions at the MLB trade deadline, it made the moves that were needed. Zach Eflin will prove to be a dependable starter in Baltimore and the bullpen is better with Seranthony Dominguez. Plus, there’s more talent in the farm system that can be called up if more depth is needed. We’re splitting hairs with the best MLB teams right now, but the Orioles get the edge. The Orioles could be even better if they find a way to turn Eloy Jimenez into a version of the player we saw from 2019-’22 (.831 OPS).
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