Major League Baseball’s nonwaiver trade deadline for the 2025 season brought plenty of chaos Thursday, with dozens of deals capping a frenetic 24 hours as teams sought to improve their rosters with the playoffs two months away.
Among the highlights: Three-time MLB All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa is reuniting with the Houston Astros, the San Diego Padres went on a spree that brought in hard-throwing closer Mason Miller, and the New York Yankees grabbed two-time All-Star reliever David Bednar.
In other moves, outfielder Cedric Mullins was dealt to the New York Mets, while 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber is joining the Toronto Blue Jays.
The recent swaps are on top of several deals over the past few days — including the Seattle Mariners reacquiring slugger Eugenio Suárez late Wednesday night — and the final hours generated a whirlwind of activity as teams made moves right up to the 6 p.m. Eastern deadline.
The Atlanta Braves were not part of the flurry. They made some low-key deals over the past week, but that was mainly to fill gaps in a ravaged rotation for which all five starters as opening day are currently on the injured list.
Atlanta has reached the playoffs the past seven years, winning six straight National League East Division titles and earning a wild-card berth on the final day of the regular season in 2024, but four years after winning the World Series, the Braves are enduring one of their bumpiest rides in recent memory. They entered Thursday with a 45-62 record, leaving them 16 games out of first place in their division and 14 games out of the final wild-card spot in the league.
While there was no reason for the Braves to be buyers, they did have players whose names were tossed around by pundits as possible trade bait, including designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and closer Raisel Iglesias. However, when Atlanta began a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night at Great American Ball Park, the lineup had Ozuna batting cleanup and Iglesias was in the bullpen.
As for Correa, he returned to Houston after being dealt by the Minnesota Twins, giving the Astros a boost as they try to stay atop the AL West.
Correa spent his first seven MLB seasons in Houston, where he became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, helping the team to six playoff appearances, three AL pennants and its first World Series title in 2017 — a championship tainted by a sign-stealing scandal.
Minnesota is also sending $33 million to offset the $103.4 million left on Correa’s contract, which runs through 2028. The Twins will receive minor league pitcher Matt Mikulski in return.
Correa has exclusively played shortstop in his 11-year MLB career but will almost certainly move to third base with Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña close to returning from the injured list. The 30-year-old Correa has had a down season by his standards, batting .267 with seven homers and 31 RBIs, but the Astros needed help at the hot corner with All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
Houston also got outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Miami Marlins for right-handed pitcher Ryan Gusto, infielder Chase Jaworsky and outfielder Esmil Valencia.
The San Diego Padres made several bold moves — including adding Miller from the A’s and All-Star first baseman Ryan O’Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles — while swinging five total deals for seven players currently in the majors.
Padres general manager AJ Preller picked up Miller and left-hander JP Sears while shipping four solid prospects to the A’s. The Padres then got catcher Freddy Fermín from the Kansas City Royals before acquiring O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano from the Orioles. San Diego also added left-hander Nestor Cortés from the Milwaukee Brewers and utility infielder Will Wagner from the Blue Jays.
Preller was his usual voracious self at the deadline, sending out 14 players and acquiring eight. The biggest loss for San Diego’s farm system was shortstop Leo De Vries, one of the top prospects in baseball, who was used to acquire Miller, one of the majors’ most dynamic relievers.
The Padres entered Thursday in the NL’s final wild-card spot at 60-49 after sweeping the New York Mets on Wednesday for their fifth consecutive win. Second-place San Diego trails the Los Angeles Dodgers (63-46) — the reigning MLB champions — by just three games in the NL West, and Preller clearly believes his veteran core has World Series potential.
Meanwhile in the NL East, Mullins give the Mets an upgrade in center field, where Tyrone Taylor was playing terrific defense but providing little value at the plate. The 30-year-old Mullins, who was an All-Star in 2021, is batting .229 with 15 homers, 49 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.
Versatile veteran Jeff McNeil has also been getting starts in center because of his bat, but he has much more experience at second base and the corner outfield spots.
The AL East’s last-place Orioles received right-handers Raimon Gómez, Anthony Nunez and Chandler Marsh.
The Yankees, who lost to the Dodgers in the World Series last year but currently sit second in the AL East, were looking to fortify their bullpen for the stretch run and agreed to acquire Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants and Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies. They also added utilityman José Caballero from the Tampa Bay Rays.
New York was set to send catcher/first base prospect Rafael Flores, catcher Edgleen Perez and outfielder Brian Sanchez to the Pirates in exchange for Bednar.
The Yankees sent infielder Roc Riggio and lefty Ben Shields to the Rockies for Bird, outfielder Everson Pereira to the Rays, and four minor leaguers to the Giants, including catcher Jesús Rodríguez, right-hander Trystan Vrieling, infielder Parks Harber and left-hander Carlos de la Rosa.
The 30-year-old Bednar struggled early in the season and spent some time in the minors but has been dominant since his return. He joins a bullpen that already has Luke Weaver and Devin Williams. Bird has a 4.73 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings.
The 28-year-old Doval has 15 saves and a 3.09 ERA.
The Yankees have made more than a half-dozen trades since last Friday. They obtained third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Rockies on Friday, reserve infielder Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals on Saturday and reserve outfielder Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.
Bieber is headed to the AL East-leading Blue Jays after being shipped out by the Cleveland Guardians, who are suddenly rebuilding a year after a surprising run to the AL Central title.
Bieber, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery that took place in April 2024, has made five rehab starts. His most recent outing was for Double-A Akron on Tuesday, when he allowed one run on three hits and struck out seven batters in four innings. His next rehab start was scheduled for Sunday.
The Guardians are getting right-hander Khal Stephen from the Blue Jays.
Toronto also got righty reliever Louis Varland and first baseman Ty France from Minnesota for rookie outfielder Alan Roden and minor league starter Kendry Rojas.
Bieber had spent his entire MLB career in Cleveland. He has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA and 958 strikeouts in 136 games, with 134 starts since his debut in 2018. He agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract last fall with a $16 million player option for 2026.
The Texas Rangers acquired right-hander Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks, adding a veteran starter with postseason experience to help rotation at the trade deadline.
Arizona received three minor league pitchers: left-handers Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake and right-hander David Hagaman.
The 36-year-old Kelly has spent all seven of his MLB seasons with the Diamondbacks. He was the only Arizona pitcher to beat the Rangers in the 2023 World Series ultimately won by Texas, throwing seven dominant innings in Game 2.
Kelly is 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings this season.
The Rangers also added right-hander Phil Maton from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers — right-hander Skylar Hales and lefty Mason Molina — and international bonus pool money. The 32-year-old Maton has a 2.35 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.
Finally, the Rangers added left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe from the Twins in exchange for minor league left-hander Garrett Horn.
The Philadelphia Phillies, a half-game behind the first-place Mets in the NL East, got outfielder Harrison Bader from Minnesota in exchange for two minor leaguers. It was the team’s second deal with the Twins in two days after landing closer Jhoan Duran.
The 31-year-old Bader, a 2021 Gold Glove winner, remains a strong defender at all three outfield spots and has 12 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .778 OPS in 96 games this year. He also has postseason experience, playing in five playoff series with the Cardinals, Mets and Yankees with a .809 on-base plus slugging percentage and five career homers.
The Phillies sent minor league outfielder Hendry Mendez and right-hander Geremy Villoria to the Twins for Bader.
The Detroit Tigers, who have a nine-game lead over second-place Cleveland in the AL Central, acquired Kyle Finnegan from the Nationals for two prospects. The 33-year-old Finnegan was an MLB All-Star in 2024, but his velocity has been down this season. He has 20 saves with a 4.38 ERA in 2025.
The Nationals received minor league pitchers Josh Randall and R.J. Sales, Detroit’s third- and 10th-round draft picks from 2024, respectively.
The Tigers also added right-hander Paul Sewald in a deal with the Guardians and minor-league righty Codi Heuer in a trade with the Rangers. Finally, they added 41-year-old starter Charlie Morton and cash from the Orioles in exchange for minor league lefty Micah Ashman.
The 35-year-old Sewald is eligible to return from the injured list Sunday after being sidelined with a strained right shoulder. He is 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA in 18 games this season, averaging more than one strikeout each inning.
The Chicago Cubs — one day after acquiring right-handed starter Michael Soroka from the Nationals — added righty reliever Andrew Kittredge from the Orioles, lefty Taylor Rogers from the Pirates and utility player Willi Castro from the Twins.
The 35-year-old Kittredge was an All-Star in 2021 and has a 3.44 ERA in nine seasons. He has a 3.45 ERA in 31 games this year. He signed a $9 million, one-year deal with the Orioles last offseason that includes a $9 million club option for 2026 with a $1 million buyout.
Rogers remains an effective left-handed option out of the bullpen at 34. The 10-year veteran, an All-Star with the Twins in 2021, is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 40 appearances with the Reds this season. The Pirates acquired him Wednesday from Cincinnati for third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes.
The 28-year-old Castro has played every position except first base and catcher this season and is hitting .245 with 10 homers. He was an All-Star in 2024 after an impressive first half of the season, but his bat has cooled since.
The Royals remained active at the deadline, adding lefty Bailey Falter from the Pirates for first baseman Callan Moss and lefty Evan Sisk. They also acquired veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski from the Giants in exchange for minor league right-hander Yunior Marte.
The left-handed Falter, 28, is having the best season of his five-year MLB career, posting a 7-5 record with a 3.73 ERA for the NL Central’s last-place Pirates. The 34-year-old Yastrzemski is batting .231 with eight homers.
The Rays got shutdown righty reliever Griffin Jax from the Twins for righty starter Taj Bradley. They also acquired catcher Hunter Feduccia from the Dodgers in exchange for right-handed pitcher Paul Gervase, catcher Ben Rortvedt and left-handed pitcher Adam Serwinowski.
They also got righty starter Adrian Houser from the White Sox for infielder Curtis Mead and righties Duncan Davitt and Benjamin Peoples.
The Boston Red Sox acquired right-hander Dustin May from the Dodgers in exchange for minor league outfielders James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard.
The Dodgers acquired outfielder Alex Call from the Nationals for minor leaguer right-handers Sean Paul Liñan and Eriq Swan.
The Los Angeles Angels took infielder Oswald Peraza from the Yankees for minor league outfielder Wilberson de Peña and international bonus pool money.
The Reds acquired utility player Miguel Andujar from the A’s in exchange for right-hander Kenya Huggins.
In addition, the Orioles put right-hander Zach Eflin on the injured list with lower back discomfort. Eflin was a potential trade target, but he has made only 14 starts this year and is on an expiring contract.