As the clock neared 6 p.m. on the east coast, trades started to trickle in from teams trying to beat the deadline buzzer. The San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals were busy as time expired, as were the Miami Marlins. Closers were moved, lineups were strengthened, pitchers got changes of scenery. Let’s take a look at the deals that snuck in just under the wire.
Padres get: RHP Scott Barlow
Royals get: RHP Henry Williams
The Royals and Padres, familiar deadline partners, matched up again at the buzzer, the Padres acquiring reliever Scott Barlow for minor-league right-hander Henry Williams, San Diego’s No. 10 overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
The Royals were in a bit of tough spot with Barlow, who was quietly one of the better relievers in baseball in 2021 and 2022 before his velocity and effectiveness dipped over the last year. With only one more season of club control, the Royals decided to be aggressive. Understandable.
Royals: B
Padres: B
Ryan Yarbrough. (Jay Biggerstaff / USA TODAY)
Royals get: 1B Devin Mann, SS Derlin Figueroa
Dodgers get: LHP Ryan Yarbrough
The Royals were busy late, also sending lefty swingman Ryan Yarbrough to the Dodgers in exchange for minor-league first baseman Devin Mann and shortstop Derlin Figueroa. Yarbrough can fill multiple roles on a pitching staff, and after a scary incident in which he was hit in the head by a line drive earlier this season, he returned and was solid over the last month. He’s also under club control for next season. Mann and Figueroa are fringe prospects, but the Royals were wise to take advantage of their acquisition of Yarbrough in the offseason.
Royals: B
Dodgers: B
Padres get: 1B Garrett Cooper, LHP Sean Reynolds
Marlins get: LHP Ryan Weathers
Ryan Weathers. (Orlando Ramirez / USA TODAY)
The Padres were busy, too, acquiring first baseman Garrett Cooper and minor league left-hander Sean Reynolds from the Marlins for lefty Ryan Weathers, a former top prospect. Perhaps Weathers could benefit from the change of scenery.
Padres: B
Marlins: B
Guardians get: INF Jean Segura, SS Khalil Watson
Marlins get: 1B Josh Bell
Josh Bell. (Joe Nicholson / USA TODAY)
The Marlins’ decision to move Cooper coincided with another trade, in which the Guardians made a clever move in sending Josh Bell to Miami for infielder Jean Segura and former first-round pick Khalil Watson, an intriguing shortstop talent with a low floor and high ceiling. The Marlins are seemingly so in need of offense they’re rolling the dice with Bell, who has a .701 OPS in 347 at-bats. It might constitute an upgrade. It might not.
Guardians: B+
Marlins: B-
(Top photo of Barlow: Ed Zurga / Getty Images)
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