Dodgers Named Major Loser of 2025 Trade Deadline

The Athletic's Grant Brisbee slammed the Los Angeles Dodgers after the MLB trade deadline, naming them as a loser during Thursday's action.

The Dodgers brought in reliever Brock Stewart and outfielder Alex Call, while also sending off Dustin May for two Red Sox prospects, one of whom was ranked fifth in their system. The Dodgers also inserted themselves into a deal on Wednesday, obtaining Paul Gervase, Adam Serwinowski and Ben Rortvedt.

"Brock Stewart? Alex Call? Trading away a starting pitcher, even if he’s oft-injured and mercurial? Buddy, your problems run deeper than that," wrote Brisbee. "The Dodgers had one of the snooziest deadlines an active team can have, even if they were technically 'active.' And when you’re in the Dodgers’ position, when you snooze, you lose. It isn’t what you want from a team that’s been leaking oil, dignity and other viscous fluids in July. There was more room for them to get aggressive and weird.

"However, 10 bonus points are awarded for acquiring James Tibbs III, the first-round pick the Giants traded away for Rafael Devers. He has the chance to do a very, very funny thing over the next decade."

Brisbee's evaluation of the Dodgers' deadline is highly critical of the lack of big-time moves which the Dodgers were rumored to make at the deadline. However, they still covered their bases properly and strengthened clear gaps in their ranks.

May had lost his position in the Dodgers rotation, and with Blake Snell returning Saturday, he will slot in perfectly. By receiving Tibbs from the Red Sox, the Dodgers turned a starter on his way to the bullpen into a prospect who will keep the Dodgers in the spot they hold now in the future.

The acquisitions of Call and Stewart were also both necessary, as the Dodgers have an injury depleted bullpen and need a corner outfielder to serve as a backup for Michael Conforto.

The Dodgers did have more room to make big moves at the deadline, however, it's harsh to call them deadline "losers" when they efficiently addressed their needs and got better while still standing at the top of their division.