Biggest winners, losers from a wild MLB trade deadline

It was indeed a Manic Monday as the Major League Baseball trade deadline went down to the final moments of the 6 p.m. cutoff. It was reported that in the final 28 hours before the deadline hit, 48 trades were made.

So which teams made the most of the pressure-packed final few hours? Here are three franchises that got better at the trade deadline and three that stumbled through it.

Winner — Los Angeles Angels

Kudos to interim general manager John Mozeliak for showing that the franchise could actually make smart trades, something that was a rare sight under former general manager Perry Minasian.

Mozeliak orchestrated several trades to replenish the Angels farm system, including a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher Jose Soriano that landed the Angels shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, who became the second-ranked prospect in the Los Angeles system after the deal.

Firmly embracing its place as a seller, the Angels made prudent deals and gathered assets for the future.

Winner — Tampa Bay Rays

On the opposite end of the American League spectrum, the Rays landed a front-line starter in Freddy Peralta and a quality catcher in Liam Hicks. That battery could be one to watch as the Rays battle for the AL East lead and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Tyler Wells could also be an interesting arm to watch, especially given Tampa Bay's propensity for unlocking a pitcher's true potential.

Winner — Chicago Cubs

Landing Clay Holmes late in the day on Monday capped off a solid trade deadline on the North Side. Kevin Gausman coming over from Toronto will give the Cubs a pair of starting pitchers in Holmes and Gausman that could immediately jet to the front of the rotation.

Acquiring Braxton Garrett is taking a chance on the future, as the former Miami Marlins pitcher is still finding his form after Tommy John surgery. If it works, it's a boost for the Cubs in 2027.

Loser — Detroit Tigers

There are still plenty of questions about just how much the Tigers could have gotten back from other teams for Tarik Skubal, but he's in Los Angeles with the Dodgers and Detroit has to hope with every ounce of the franchise's being that the prospects who came back to the Motor City in the deal pay off.

Yes, the Tigers did make other deals, but the stench from the Skubal trade is too hard to ignore.

Loser — Boston Red Sox

Landing All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman is great, but it came at quite a cost. Giving up three of the franchise's top prospects to a division rival is quite the gamble, as is how Rutschman plays when he comes back off the injured list and is thrown into a pennant race in Boston.

Loser — Philadelphia Phillies

Congratulations to the Phillies on landing Luis Arraez as a bat for an already stacked lineup. However, the reported domino effect the move will make in Philadelphia is head-scratching (including Bryce Harper reportedly heading to the outfield). 

Also, the Phillies could have used another starting pitcher and came up short in that quest. We will see how big that miss becomes once October arrives.