Many teams are likely preparing to make a big splash at this year’s trade deadline in hopes of bolstering the roster to make a more competitive push for a World Series.
Making deals at the trade deadline is risky business. Teams often offload some valuable young assets in order to acquire a player in a position of need. But if that move fails to translate to a championship, or at the very least a deep playoff run, then it was effectively all for naught. Throughout history, it hasn’t always been the biggest name moved at the trade deadline that makes the biggest impact in the postseason. In many cases, smaller deadline deals prove to be the most significant come October.
We’re going to look back at the past 10 World Series winners and see what big moves they made at the trade deadline, if any at all, that helped to bolster their championship run.
2025: Dodgers trade for Alex Call
The Dodgers often get their business done during the offseason, rather than making riskier moves at the trade deadline. That was the case last season, when they made the bulk of their moves during the winter and only made minor pickups in July. One player they acquired ahead of the trade deadline was Alex Call from the Nationals at the deadline, sending a pair of pitching prospects to Washington in the deal. Call, ultimately a bench bat for Los Angeles, ended up appearing in seven postseason games, including three in the World Series.
2024: Dodgers trade for Tommy Edman
Unlike in their other recent title seasons in 2020 and ‘25, the Dodgers were more aggressive at the ‘24 trade deadline. They traded for Jack Flaherty and also acquired Tommy Edman in a deal with the Cardinals, significantly improving the roster ahead of the stretch run of the season. Flaherty didn’t have a great postseason, but Edman was a key contributor for L.A. throughout the playoff run, earning NLCS MVP honors after recording 11 RBIs in the six-game set against the Mets.
2023: Rangers trade for Max Scherzer
The Rangers acquired Max Scherzer from the Mets during the ‘23 season. He only started eight games for the team in the regular season, but ended up making three starts in the postseason, including two appearances in the ALCS. Scherzer didn’t have his best stuff, logging a 6.52 ERA in the playoff run, but he pitched three scoreless innings in Game 3 of the World Series, helping the Rangers pick up an important win.
2022: Astros trade for Trey Mancini
The Astros made a few minor acquisitions at the trade deadline in ‘22, the most notable being the trade for Trey Mancini. Unfortunately, Mancini struggled at the plate throughout the postseason, appearing in eight games for Houston and collecting just one hit in 24 plate appearances. His woes didn’t hinder Houston too badly, however, as the Astros won the series against the Phillies in six games.
2021: Braves trade for Eddie Rosario
When Eddie Rosario arrived in Atlanta via a midseason trade with Cleveland, he had a .685 OPS on the year. He looked like a completely different player for the Braves, logging a .903 OPS in 33 regular-season games before recording a 1.073 OPS with three home runs and 11 RBIs in the playoffs. Rosario was named the NLCS MVP after logging two four-hit games in the series, and a total of 14 hits in the six-game set. The Braves acquired Rosario for next to nothing, and he had a massive impact on their World Series run.
2020: Dodgers (no big trades)
The Dodgers got their business done prior to the 2020 season, acquiring David Price and Mookie Betts in a franchise-altering blockbuster trade with the Red Sox. After making such a bold trade prior to the season, Los Angeles stood pat at the deadline during the shortened season, and they were right to do so. Betts played 18 games in the Dodgers’ World Series run that year, logging a .871 OPS with two home runs, eight RBIs and six stolen bases.
2019: Nationals trade for Daniel Hudson
The Nationals fortified their bullpen at the trade deadline ahead of their World Series run in 2019, with their most significant acquisition being Daniel Hudson. Hudson had a 3.72 ERA with four saves in nine appearances during the playoff run, though he struggled in the World Series, surrendering runs in two of his three outings. Still, he pitched some important October innings for Washington that year as a key bullpen arm.
2018: Red Sox trade for Nathan Eovaldi (Steve Pearce wins MVP)
The Red Sox made a pair of key acquisitions during the 2018 regular season that paid dividends in October. Boston traded for Nathan Eovaldi in a deal with the Rays, and also added Steve Pearce from the Blue Jays. Those two in-division trades played a key role in the Red Sox’s World Series run. Pearce hit three home runs and seven RBIs in the final two games of the World Series, earning MVP honors for the series.
Eovaldi was outstanding in the playoffs, making six appearances and recording a 1.61 ERA. In the World Series, he pitched the final six innings of the 18-inning marathon in Game 3, in what was an inspiring outing out of the bullpen after pitching in both Games 1 and 2.
2017: Astros trade for Justin Verlander
Houston swung a last-minute deal for Verlander, not before the non-waiver trade deadline, but before the postseason waiver eligibility deadline on August 31, 2017. Verlander was instrumental to the Astros’ World Series run. He made a pair of six-inning starts in the World Series, and also had a 13-strikeout complete game in the ALCS. In all, Verlander pitched 36 2/3 innings and had a 2.21 ERA in the postseason.
2016: Cubs trade for Aroldis Chapman
The Cubs acquired Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline, though he returned to New York the following offseason. Chapman was a workhorse for Chicago out of the bullpen, making 13 relief appearances in the postseason and striking out 21 batters in 15 2/3 innings. Chapman pitched in five World Series games for the Cubs, entering the game in big spots while on minimal rest and recording four-plus outs in four of those outings.
More MLB from Sports Illustrated
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
#Biggest #Midseason #Trades #World #Series #Champions