With the 2024 MLB regular season and the subsequent postseason well in the rearview mirror, it's the perfect time to look back at the trade deadline and assign final grades. The frenzy of deals that occurred in late July and early August was full of surprises, and now we can truly see which teams got a jumpstart on success and which ones fell flat.
The initial reaction to the trade deadline is often a rush to judgment, but with the benefit of hindsight, we can identify which moves were shrewd and which were "swing-and-miss" moments. Here's a look at the teams that struck out, or at the very least, didn't make the most of their opportunities.
Struck Out: The Chicago White Sox
When a team is having a historically bad season, a trade deadline fire sale is not only expected, it's necessary. The White Sox were in this exact position, with two of the most valuable trade chips on the market: dynamic center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and young, controllable starting pitcher Garrett Crochet. Both were highly sought-after, and the White Sox front office had a golden opportunity to restock a barren farm system with elite talent.
Instead, they held on to both of them.
While they did make some smaller moves, including trading away Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham in a multi-team deal, the failure to trade their two biggest assets was a colossal mistake. The market for pitching was red-hot, and the return for Crochet could have been immense. The same goes for Robert Jr., who, despite a slow start, has a power-speed combination that any contender would covet. The decision to keep them, especially in a season that was already lost, will likely set the White Sox's rebuild back significantly.
Underwhelming: The San Francisco Giants
The Giants entered the trade deadline in a strange position. They were hovering around .500, not quite out of the playoff race, but clearly a step behind the top teams in their division. They needed to make a move to truly be a contender, but they opted to sell off valuable assets instead.
While it’s understandable to re-tool for the future, the Giants' moves seemed to lack conviction. They traded away veteran players like Tyler Rogers and Mike Yastrzemski, and even the All-Star reliever Camilo Doval. While they did get prospects in return, their failure to either go all-in or fully commit to a rebuild left them in a state of limbo. The results after the deadline were not promising, as the team struggled and ultimately missed the playoffs.
The Head-Scratcher: The New York Mets
The Mets were another team that had a golden opportunity to make a statement at the deadline, but they also failed to move their biggest chips. They held onto superstar first baseman Pete Alonso, a potential free agent who could have brought back a haul of top prospects. The decision to keep Alonso, along with others who could have been valuable rentals, was puzzling.
While the Mets weren't in a great position to compete, they weren't entirely out of the race either. Their lack of decisiveness at the deadline, whether to buy or sell, left them in a mediocre position for the remainder of the season. They didn't get better for a playoff push, and they didn't get the valuable future assets they could have used to improve for next season.
The Silver Lining: The Miami Marlins
While the Marlins had a fire sale and were widely seen as a team that was giving up, in hindsight, they might be one of the biggest winners. They parted ways with valuable players like Jazz Chisholm Jr. and closer Tanner Scott, but they got a significant return of prospects. In the case of Chisholm, who has a history of health issues, the Marlins likely sold him at the peak of his value.
The fire sale allowed the Marlins to fully embrace a rebuild and get a head start on acquiring the players who will be part of their next wave of contenders. While it was a difficult pill to swallow for fans, the team's decisive action to sell off its best pieces was the right long-term move.
In the end, a trade deadline can be a make-or-break moment for a franchise. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see that some teams, like the Dodgers who landed Jack Flaherty, made smart, impactful moves. But for others, like the White Sox, the deadline proved to be a missed opportunity that will linger in their fan base's minds for years to come.
