MLB Trade Deadline Sees Big Market Clubs Trade Top Players

The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers are remaining defiant after their blockbuster acquisition of ace pitcher Tarik Skubal, while several other large-market clubs began sell-offs that defined this year’s MLB trade deadline. 

The Dodgers further solidified their league-leading odds to win a third straight championship after landing Skubal, winner of the last two American League Cy Young Awards, in a trade with the Tigers for three prospects. Club leaders, however, were unapologetic about the trade, as they acknowledged the Skubal move is bringing more criticism their way as MLB’s largest spender.

The Dodgers are also a central topic in ongoing labor talks between the league and the MLB Players Association. 

“It just seems like there’s always blowback with us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after his club was surprisingly swept at home by the Red Sox this past weekend. “People are passionate. We feel good about it. There’s nothing that we did that no one else couldn’t have done.”

To Roberts’s point, the Dodgers had to surrender only a former third-round draft pick from 2023, and two former 11th-round selections—none of whom are currently among MLB’s top 20 prospects—to land one of the premier starting pitchers in the sport. That relatively low price was driven by the fact that Skubal will be a free agent after the season, making him a short-term rental.

The Dodgers will be responsible for about $9.5 million remaining on Skubal’s salary, bringing the club’s total luxury tax payroll and forthcoming 2026 tax obligation to a combined figure of more than $600 million. That sum is more than five times the comparable figure for the Marlins, MLB’s lowest-spending club.

“We’re not going to be flippant about this moment in time and how special this group, this era, can be in the history of this incredibly storied organization,” said Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. “We’re going to do everything we can to keep doing what we can to win the last game of the year.”

Skubal is set to make his first start for the Dodgers on Tuesday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Trade Activity

Monday’s trade deadline, meanwhile, saw several other high-revenue clubs part with top players in the wake of disappointing seasons. Among the latest moves:

• The Giants sent second baseman Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion, along with reliever Caleb Kilian, to the Phillies for two pitching prospects. San Francisco also previously sent veteran pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Braves for minor league reliever Anthony Molina, and outfielder Heliot Ramos to the Yankees for a package of prospects. The Giants era under president of baseball operations and former star catcher Buster Posey remains a rocky one as the club has been unable to challenge the Dodgers’ dominance in the National League West. Arraez will be joining his fifth team in five years after prior stints with the Twins, Marlins, and Padres. Later, the Giants also reached a deal with divisional rival San Diego to send starting pitcher Robbie Ray to the Padres in exchange for two prospects.
• The Mets began another sell-off, their second in four seasons, including parting with starting pitcher Freddy Peralta and relievers A.J. Minter, Huascar Brazobán, Clay Holmes, and Luke Weaver in separate deals with the Rays, Twins, White Sox, Cubs, and Pirates, respectively. Overall, the Mets sent away eight big leaguers and brought in 13 new players, including a large batch of prospects. MLB’s second-largest spender behind the Dodgers now will begin a painful rebuilding project. 
• The Blue Jays sent starting pitcher Kevin Gausman to the Cubs for two prospects, reliever Jeff Hoffman to the Twins for three more, and outfielder Daulton Varsho to the Astros for pitcher Spencer Arrighetti. The Rogers Communications–owned Blue Jays have regressed significantly this season after reaching Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.
• The Angels, currently the AL’s worst team, parted with several players including pitchers José Soriano and Brent Suter, and outfielder Jo Adell in separate trades with the Blue Jays, Braves, and Guardians, respectively. Similar to the Mets’ strategy, the Angels received back a series of minor leaguers to restock their farm system. Most notable among them is former Blue Jays prospect Arjun Nimmala, who is a first-generation Indian American and part of a growing tie between MLB and the world’s most populous country.
• The Orioles dealt catcher and former franchise cornerstone Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox for prospects. After a tumultuous beginning to the 2026 campaign, the Red Sox have completely rejuvenated their season and are now eyed as a serious postseason threat.

The activity involving many of these larger-market clubs veered significantly from the 2025 MLB trade deadline, dominated instead by mid-market franchises.