MLB Trade Deadline Winners and Losers: Eugenio Suárez has huge park change, Ryan Helsley now a drop, more

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5 days ago

The 2025 MLB Trade Deadline is behind us, and so now comes the time to make sense of the consequences.
In this article, I'll look at the players who gained or lost the most fantasy value in the aftermath of the deadline. I usually hate the term 'losers' when it comes to articles like this, but since my focus is simply discussing the relative change in a player's value or opportunity, I'm going to roll with it. We're not calling these players losers or knocking their performance; we're simply saying that the trade deadline hurt their chance to provide fantasy value.
Which leads me to one final pre-emptive note: I'm not going to discuss every player traded at the deadline. The purpose of this article is to look at changes in fantasy value, so you won't see somebody like Shane Bieber, for example, because I don't think his move from Cleveland to Toronto, while also rehabbing from his elbow injury, changes his fantasy value in any meaningful way. We'll have other articles coming out today that provide a larger overview of the trade deadline, so make sure you check those out if you just want a lay of the land for what played out at the deadline.
With that said, let's dive into the risers and fallers, winners and losers, of the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline.
MLB Trade Deadline Winners
Jhoan Durán- RP, Philadelphia Phillies
I know it might seem weird to suggest that Durán would get a boost in value since he was already one of the top relievers in fantasy, but I think the usage patterns will be better for him now. After this trade, he'll take over as Philadelphia's closer after posting a 2.01 ERA with a 53/18 K/BB ratio and 16 saves across 49 1/3 innings for the Twins. However, we know that Rocco Baldelli liked to sometimes use Durán in high-leverage innings earlier than the ninth, which is why he had 18 save chances this season but Griffin Jax had five, Cole Sands had four, Danny Soulombe had two, and Justin Topa had two, along with a handful of other players with one. Rob Thomson has tended to use just one closer during his time in Philadelphia, so I think the move to a better team with better bullpen usage trends is an arrow up for Durán.
Carlos Correa - INF, Houston Astros
Correa is going from a full-time role to a full-time role, but he's moving to a better team in a ballpark that he is familiar with and plays well in. I get that a lot of this is based on vibes, but I think we're going to see a good final two months from Correa, and his fantasy value is much better in Houston than it was in Minnesota. Plus, now he'll be SS/3B eligible.
Jesus Sanchez - OF, Houston Astros
I've always been a fan of Sánchez, and he's having a solid season, hitting .256/.320/.420 with 10 homers, 36 RBI, and nine steals through 86 games with Miami while recording a career-low 20.8 percent strikeout rate. He has always hit the ball hard, and even though he won't get a major park upgrade, and is still likely to sit against left-handed pitchers, his lineup context is much improved, especially with Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez nearing a return, and that makes Sánchez valuable enough to add in most league types.
Jesús Sánchez, a left-handed hitter, will play right field and platoon with Cam Smith, allowing Smith some breathers in what has been a career-high workload.
Jakob Marsee and Heriberto Hernandez - OF, Miami Marlins
With Jesus Sanchez now in Houston, who is going to play right field in Miami? The easy answer is Hernandez, who has hit .311/.363/.505 in 38 games with five home runs. However, Hernandez is an average defender and also has a 27.4% strikeout rate and a 17.8% swinging strike rate, following a 35% strikeout rate in Triple-A. I think this all comes crashing down at some point, and that could open up a spot for Marsee, who is hitting .246/.379/.438 at Triple-A with 14 home runs and 47 steals in 98 games. He has a strong eye at the plate and good power/speed, which is what we love for fantasy production.
Matt Shaw - 2B/SS/3B - Chicago Cubs
The Cubs did not land Eugenio Suarez. I know they got Willi Castro and some people project Castro to start at third base, but the truth is that Shaw is a better hitter. Castro is hitting .245/.335/.407 on the season with 10 home runs and nine steals. It's fine. It's not great. Shaw has been on fire since making a swing change over the All-Star break, hitting .359/.375/.744 in 12 games with four home runs and three steals. I think he can hold off Castro and relegate Castro to a super utility role with the Cubs.
JP Sears - SP, San Diego Padres
Sears was part of the Mason Miller trade and is now in a better spot. You may see his 4.97 ERA and 97/29 K/BB ratio in 111 innings and think he has no fantasy value anyway, but that would be a mistake. Yes, Sears is a left-handed pitcher who only throws 92 mph, but he's also an extreme fly ball pitcher with a career 49% flyball rate and a 52.3% rate this season. That has led to a 13% HR/FB rate, which is 1.86 HR/9. As we just discussed with Miller, he's moving out of a minor bandbox where the ball flies and moving to a stadium that suppresses power. He's not going to become a fantasy stud, but it wouldn't surprise me if he becomes more of a 4.20 ERA pitcher on a better team, which has value in deeper formats.
Jack Perkins - SP/RP, Athletics
We don't know what role Jack Perkins will have going forward, but it will be a more prominent role, regardless of what it is. With Mason Miller now in San Diego, Perkins could become the new closer for the Athletics. However, with JP Sears also now in San Diego, Perkins could slide into the rotation. The 25-year-old has good stats as a starter in Triple-A this season and has also posted a 2.75 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 19/7 K/BB ratio in 19 2/3 MLB innings out of the bullpen. He should be an effective pitcher wherever he ends up.
Luis Danys Morales - SP, Athletics
As of now, it appears that Perkins will be used out of the bullpen, as we received a notification that the Athletics are calling up their third-ranked prospect, Morales. The 22-year-old has posted a 3.73 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 107/35 K/BB ratio in 89 1/3 innings at Triple-A this season. Morales has a high-velocity fastball that can run up to 99 mph, and pairs that with an 84 mph slide that has 13 inches of horizontal break. Beyond those two pitches, it's a hodgepodge of other complementary pieces (sinker, cutter, change, curve) that he doesn't use often. There is upside here, but we'll need to see Morales settle on a clear pitch mix at the next level.
The Athletics are calling up MLB's No. 3 prospect and right-handed pitcher Luis Danys Morales, per sources.
Morales, 22, is expected to be activated tomorrow. A remarkable story since he escaped from a Mexico airport in 2021 to pursue his dream of reaching the Big Leagues.
Blake Treinen - RP, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers were thought to be seeking a huge upgrade to the back-end of their bullpen. In the end, they wound up only adding Brock Stewart. While Stewart is a solid reliever, I don't think he pushes Treinen out of the primary save share in Los Angeles. This should be a committee with Treinen and Alex Vesia until Tanner Scott returns, so that's a win for Treinen in fantasy
Nestor Cortes - SP, San Diego Padres
Cortes now has a locked-in rotation spot on a playoff contender, so that's a win for him. This past weekend, he struck out nine while allowing one earned run in 5 2/3 innings in what was scheduled to be his final rehab start with the Brewers, so perhaps the Padres will activate him this weekend to take Randy Vasquez's spot in the rotation. PetCo will be a good ballpark upgrade for Cortes, who should be added in all 15-team leagues and treated as a streamer for now in 12-team leagues until we see him back on the mound in a big league game.
Bailey Falter and Ryan Bergert - SP, Kansas City Royals
With Kris Bubic and Michael Lorenzen on the IL, it seems that both Falter and Bergert should join the rotation in Kansas City. At least until Cole Ragans comes back; if he comes back. That's a win for both of them, just because Falter gets a team context and park upgrade, and Bergert moves from being a part-time starter to a full-time starter. I would treat them both as streamers in 12-team leagues but solid options in 15-team leagues.
Bubba Chandler - SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Bailey Falter is now in Kansas City, so there is an opening in the Pirates rotation, so it has to be Chandler, right? He has now pitched 127 innings in Triple-A and allowed 43 earned runs, which amounts to a 3.05 ERA with a 160/60 K/BB rate. Top prospects who post those numbers in Triple-A don't stay down there for 130 innings. I know he hasn't had the best summer, but the dude deserved to be promoted in May, if not break camp with the team, so it's hard to blame him for being frustrated or confused or whatever might be impacting him mentally to cause these recent command issues.
Tyler Locklear - 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Locklear came to Arizona as part of the return for Eugenio Suarez and will immediately slot in as the starting first baseman. The 24-year-old is hitting .316/.401/.542 in 98 games at Triple-A Reno with 19 home runs and 18 steals. Yes, some of that is influenced by the offensive-friendly environment of the PCL, but Locklear has a 44% hard hit rate and 90.2 mph average exit velocity while posting a respectable 13% swinging strike rate, so he has cleaned up his approach enough that he's not as big of a swing-and-miss risk as he seemed last year. He has a clear starting role in a ballpark that is the 2nd-best park for right-handed hitters, according to Statcast Park Factors, so Locklear is worth a gamble in 12-team and 15-team fantasy leagues for his potential five-category upside.
Jordan Lawlar - INF, Arizona Diamondbacks
This is Lawlar's time, right? I mean, maybe not this very minute because he's on the IL with a hamstring injury, but his time is coming in a few weeks now that Josh Nalor and Eugenio Suarez are out of town. Lawlar has already started taking live at-bats in the Arizona complex and is hitting .319/.410/.583 at Triple-A with 10 home runs and 18 steals in 53 games. He has little left to prove there and should be the starting third baseman in Arizona by the middle of August.
Anthony Desclafani - SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
With Merrill Kellty in Texas, DeSclafani is going to join the Diamondbacks rotation. Tony Disco has been great in long relief for the Diamondbacks and has good numbers since his rough first appearance of the season. In his last 19 innings, DeSclafani has a 2.37 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 20% K-BB%. I'm not enough of a believer to add him in shallow formats, but he's certainly a streamer in deeper formats now.
Kevin Ginkel - RP, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Will Vest - RP, Detroit Tigers
Both of these guys could have been replaced as their team's closers at the deadline, but weren't. Yes, the Tigers added Kyle Finnegan, but he hasn't pitched great and is not an immediate threat, in my opinion, to Vest's role. I think both of these guys came out as winners by the nature of just keeping their jobs and their fantasy value.
Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, Baltimore Orioles
Is it finally time for Mayo? With Ryan O'Hearn out of town, Mayo could get regular starts at first base or DH for the remainder of the season. The 23-year-old has started to come around after the All-Star break, but he has not been playing regularly. We saw what Kyle Stowers was able to do when he was given regular playing time, and Mayo is a better prospect than him. I'd be adding Mayo everywhere, but be careful that Ryan Mountcastle is expected to come off the IL next week, and so the Orioles could go right back to playing Mayo part-time.
Dylan Beavers - OF, Baltimore Orioles
Trading Ramon Laureano also seemed to open up playing time for Dylan Beavers in Baltimore. The 2022 first-round pick has been swinging a hot bat in July and is now hitting .306 on the season with 14 home runs, 21 steals, 42 RBI, and a .924 OPS. He could take over Dylan Carlson's spot in left field for the remainder of the season and would be an immediate add in most fantasy formats.
Robert Hassell III - OF, Washington Nationals
The Nationals traded Alex Call to the Dodgers and called up Hassell already, so now the only question is whether Hassell III can beat out Jacob Young for starts down the stretch. Considering the Nationals are not contending, they should see what the 24-year-old can do. Hassell III is a former first-round pick and top prospect, who is hitting .310/.383/.456 in 76 games at Triple-A with 10 home runs and 16 steals. He struggled in his first 79 MLB plate appearances, so he'd be more of a deeper league play, but he deserves another shot.
Kristian Campbell - 1B/2B, Boston Red Sox
I felt that it was a given the Red Sox would add a first baseman at the deadline. Well, I felt it was a given they would add anything other than Dustin May, but here we are. With no first baseman coming, I think that's good news for Campbell, who was a top-10 prospect in baseball coming into this season but struggled from May 1st on and was sent to the minors late in June. Campbell has turned the corner in Triple-A and has also been playing first base. He could come up and form a platoon with Romy Gonzalez or Abraham Toro and also mix in at second base if Marcelo Mayer's wrist injury is as serious as it seems.
Brooks Lee - 2B/SS/3B, Kody Clemens - 1B/2B/3B, and Luke Keaschall - 2B, Minnesota Twins
The Twins traded away everybody at the deadline, or so it seemed. Lineup spots and bullpen spots are open everywhere, but we have a good sense of who will fill them in the infield. It seems like Brooks Lee will emerge as the everyday shortstop for the final two months, and Luke Keaschall will be the primary second baseman when he comes off the IL (maybe next week). That should also open up first base for Clemens, who has produced this season when given any everyday job. None of these guys are must-adds in a 12-team format, and both Lee/Keaschall are better real-life players than fantasy players. However, they are talented enough and should get enough playing time to be strong adds in 15-team leagues.
Alan Roden - OF, Minnesota Twins
You'd think Roden was a CLEAR winner now that he's out of a crowded situation in Toronto, but he joins a Twins outfield that loves left-handed hitters. Right now, the Twins are carrying Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., and James Outman. All four of them hit left-handed. Even if Roden were to come up and, say, take Keirsey's spot on the roster, will he play over any of those other outfielders? I think Roden is talented, and he has a better shot to win a competition in Minnesota, which is why he's on this list, but the situation is still a bit muddy.
Curtis Mead - 1B/2B, Chicago White Sox
Mead was once one of the top prospects in all of baseball, ranking 33rd before the 2023 season and 55th before the 2024 season. Now, perhaps he was just never as good as those prospect rankings, but he also never really got a fair shot at full-time playing time in Tampa Bay. The White Sox should give him a chance to play 1B or DH and see what he can do with regular at-bats.
Cade Cavalli - SP, Washington Nationals
The Nationals traded Michael Soroka to the Cubs a couple of days before the deadline, and Soroka's next spot in the rotation lines up with when Cavalli would be starting at Triple-A. Even though Cavalli is not a lock for that rotation spot, he's the most intriguing option. The former top prospect is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and his Triple-A results have been inconsistent, but he has flashed that same upside we saw before the injury, so it would be nice to see what he looks like against MLB arms.
Blade Tidwell - SP/RP, San Francisco Giants
Tidwell came to the Giants as part of the return for Tyler Rogers and may slot into a rotation spot with Landen Roupp (elbow) hurt and Carson Whisenhunt perhaps not that good. However, the issue is that Tidwell himself might not be that good either. However, he could be worth a stash in deeper formats in case he gets a shot and can run with it.
Kyle Harrison, Connelly Early - SP, Boston Red Sox, and Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat - SP, New York Mets
Neither the Mets nor Red Sox were able to swing a deal for a starting pitcher in what appeared to be a very high-cost starting pitcher market. That means the depth of both of these rotations is going to have to come from within. Right now, Richard Fitts is Boston's sixth starter, but Kyle Harrison, who came over in the Rafael Devers trade, and Connelly Early, who was just promoted to Triple-A, could be options for starts down the stretch. The Mets have already said that Nolan McLean is likely to help in some capacity over the final two months, but with Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning hurt and Blade Tidwell now in San Francisco, Paul Blackburn is the sixth starter for the Mets with McLean or Sproat being the next man up.
Corbin Martin - RP, Baltimore Orioles
Cole Sands - RP, Minnesota Twins
JoJo Romero - RP, St. Louis Cardinals
Randy Rodriguez - RP, San Francisco Giants
Jose A. Ferrer - RP, Washington Nationals
Dennis Santana - RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
All of these guys are winners because they have the inside track to take over as closers for their respective teams. Now, there are other players in the mix, and there are other dart throws to emerge in committees or possible threats to simply take the job outright. However, these are the guys I think have the upper hand in their respective bullpens. I will say, many people think Riley O'Brien will get saves in St. Louis, and others think it will be Kyle Leahy, so you could take a gamble on any of them, but that's a situation to monitor this weekend.
MLB Trade Deadline Losers
Eugenio Suarez - 3B, Seattle Mariners
A lot has been made of the fact that Suárez hit .234/.327/.423 for the Mariners between 2022 and 2023, but I don't think it's unfair to point that out. So much of his value is tied to his power, and T-Mobile Park ranks as the LITERAL worst park in baseball for right-handed hitters, according to Statcast Park Factors, while Chase Field is the second best. That's a huge change and one that really saps a lot of Suárez's value. There's nothing you can do in fantasy leagues but hold on and hope that he figured it out.
Mason Miller - RP, San Diego Padres
When I was first drafting this article, I expected Miller to be a winner after his move out of Sacramento and to a better team. Then the Padres decided not to trade Robert Suarez, and the team allegedly said Suarez would remain at closer, which is exactly what they did last year when they traded for Tanner Scott. I wouldn't drop Miller yet because I'd want to see how this situation plays out for sure, but his being a setup man crushes his fantasy value.
The Padres DFA'd Martín Maldonado and Trenton Brooks. They optioned the newly acquired Will Wagner to Triple A. According to team officials, they are expected to keep Robert Suarez as their primary closer, with Mason Miller joining the league's deepest group of setup men.
Ryan Helsley - RP, New York Mets
The 31-year-old impending free agent has converted 21 saves this season while compiling a solid 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 41/14 K/BB ratio across 36 innings. He brings another high-octane arm to a relief corps built for winning games in October. It's a significant hit to his immediate fantasy appeal since he's unlikely to usurp Díaz for a significant share of the save opportunities in New York.
David Bednar - RP, New York Yankees
Another reliever traded from a closer spot into a set-up spot. Bednar has been one of the better relievers in baseball since he was recalled from the minors on April 19th. From that point on, he has ranked 3rd in baseball in WAR among qualified relievers and has posted a 1.70 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 50/8 K/BB ratio with 16 saves in 37 innings. Sadly, he will not be asked to close with Devin Williams in town, which means Bednar is hard to roster in leagues where you just need saves.
David Robertson and Orion Kerkering - RP, Philadelphia Phillies
This is a natural fallout from the Jhoan Durán trade. With Durán now occupying the closer's role, Robertson and Kerkering figure to lose the chance to get saves apart from in the random game if Durán is unavailable. Unless you're in a Saves+Holds league, that's not worth holding onto.
Cam Smith - 3B/OF, Houston Astros
See the above tweet about Jesus Sanchez and Smith forming a platoon. Smith is hitting just .214 in 24 games in July, so the Astros clearly feel like he's wearing down. We should now expect more part-time playing time for him, and that's a huge hit to his value. I think you can move on in all non-keeper/dynasty leagues.
Cam Devaney - SS/3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
I thought it was a given that Isiah Kiner-Falefa would be traded, which would have opened up a starting spot for Devaney, who the Pirates acquired from the Royals earlier this month to begin with. Across 77 Triple-A games in both the Pirates and Royals' organizations, Devaney is slashing .271/.371/.535 with 18 home runs and three steals. He had a 48% hard-hit rate with Kansas City and is more intruiging than Jared Triolo, who will start at third base with Ke'Bryan Hayes gone. Bummer.
Zack Littell - SP, Cincinnati Reds
Littell has put up a surprisingly strong season with a 3.58 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 89/21 K/BB ratio across 133 1/3 innings. However, pitching in the summer months in Great American Ball Park, which is the 4th-most hitter-friendly ballpark over the last three seasons, according to Statcast's Park Factors, is not ideal. You may say, 'But he plays in a minor league ballpark,' and my counter would be to remind you that the Rays players actively complained at the start of the season that 'The wind blows in almost every single game. It's hard to see at night.' That doesn't sound like an ideal hitting environment, despite the smaller dimensions. I just don't see this park fit working out for Littell, who allows a career 2.03 HR/9.
Aaron Civale - SP, Chicago White Sox
Civale could have been moved to a better team. He SHOULD have been moved to a better team, but the White Sox held onto him for some reason and now he'll have to pitch the rest of the season there.
Troy Melton - SP, Detroit Tigers
Kumar Rocker - SP, Texas Rangers
Chase Burns - SP, Cincinnati Reds
Randy Vasquez - SP, San Diego Padres
Eric Lauer - SP, Toronto Blue Jays
All of these pitchers lost rotation spots, so the trade deadline was certainly a bummer for them. I know Chase Burns hasn't lost the rotation spot yet, but with Hunter Greene nearing a return, Burns is likely to be the odd man out in Cincinnati. Same thing with Eric Lauer, who will likely lose his rotation spot when Shane Bieber is back in the big leagues.