Over the years, the MLB trade deadline has always been a high-stakes event, filled with its share of twists and turns. The 2025 deadline was no exception, especially with the elimination of the August waiver trade period and the expansion of the postseason, adding to the sense of urgency.
How much so? By the end of Thursday’s 6:00 pm ET deadline alone, 35 trades were consummated. If you include the numerous swaps that happened on the previous day, you get an even 50.
While many position players changed teams, the clear theme was that clubs were seeking help within their collective bullpens. According to MLB Pipeline, only three Top 100 prospects were moved at this deadline. However, all the deals saw the acquisition of relievers.
Several MLBbros, including former All-Stars and Gold Glovers, were also the focal point of these acquisitions. Now that the dust has settled, we take a capsule look at the Black and brown players who are headed to different addresses.
July 24th
Arizona 1B Josh Naylor traded to the Seattle Mariners
An All-Star in 2024, when he set career highs in homers (31) and RBIs (108), Naylor also possesses sound plate discipline and contact, with a 12.4% K rate that ranks 13th-best among qualified hitters this year. In 93 games with the Diamondbacks — his first year with Arizona — Naylor had an .807 OPS and 11 home runs. At the time of the trade, Naylor was a career .267/.329/.444 hitter with 95 home runs. Naylor will earn roughly $4 million through the end of this season. Seattle’s projected year-end 40-man roster payroll was at around $151 million, per Cots Baseball Contracts, which is about $5 million more than last year. Ironically, Naylor was a Mariners target over the offseason before he was traded from Cleveland to Arizona.
July 30th
Pittsburgh 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes traded to the Cincinnati Reds
Despite also being one of several teams tied to slugger Eugenio Suárez (who was acquired by Seattle), the Reds, like the Yankees, chose to pivot to a more affordable option, gaining the Gold Glove third baseman from their division rival. Although a gifted infielder, Hayes has never managed to live up to expectations on the other side of the ball and was hitting .236/.279/.290 (59 OPS+) with 10 doubles, two triples, and two homers when he was traded to Cincinnati. “He might be the best defender in baseball. If not, he’s right there. He’s that good,” Reds manager Terry Francona told MLB.com. In his debut, Hayes rode the highs and lows of a wild game against the Braves. In a historic match where both teams scored eight runs in the eighth inning, Hayes hit a three-run homer to left field. The blast cut into the Braves’ lead at 11-7 and atoned for a two-run error that cost his new team the lead in the sixth inning. Atlanta would eventually win 12-11 in 10 innings.
July 31st
Baltimore OF Cedric Mullins traded to the New York Mets
Searching for a center-field upgrade, the Mets reportedly discussed a potential trade with the White Sox involving Luis Robert Jr. Still, they ultimately pivoted to Mullins, a pending free agent who had a .229 average with 15 homers, 14 steals, and a .738 OPS for the Orioles. He was Baltimore’s longest-tenured player whose accomplishments during a career-best 2021 season included an All-Star appearance and a Silver Slugger award. That year, Mullins hit .291 with 37 doubles, five triples, 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and an .878 OPS over 159 games, recording the only 30-30 season in Orioles history. In his last game in an Oriole uniform, he offered another chapter to his long highlight reel of incredible catches. Mullins made a leaping, backhanded catch well above the wall to rob Ali Sanchez of a home run in the sixth inning in Wednesday’s 9-8 loss to the Blue Jays.
Tampa Bay SP Taj Bradley traded to the Minnesota Twins
One day after the Twins traded their closer, Jhoan Duran, they shipped away their setup man, righty Griffin Jax, to Tampa Bay. In return, the Twins land the 24-year-old Bradley, a former top prospect who started 67 games for the Rays across the last three seasons. Bradley pitched to a 4.61 with the big league club this season and was recently demoted to Triple-A Durham. In his previous three MLB starts before the demotion, Bradley went six innings, two hits, one run, five strikeouts at Fenway Park on July 10, then six scoreless innings with six strikeouts against the Orioles on July 18. His most recent start came against the lowly White Sox, and he gave up four runs in 1 2/3 innings, with four hits, three walks, a wild pitch, and zero strikeouts.
