With the July 31 trade deadline looming, deals are already getting done with more on the way. Contenders are looking to add bats and pitching help for October, while sellers hope to rebuild around prospect hauls. Here are the trades that have already happened.
July 28: Tampa Bay Rays trade for new catcher after dealing Danny Jansen
After trading catcher Danny Jansen to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Tampa Bay Rays acquired Nick Fortes from the Miami Marlins, giving up outfield prospect Matthew Etzel, according to FanSided baseball reporter Robert Murray. Fortes is slashing .240/.288/.349 with two home runs and six doubles. Fortes won’t be a free agent until after the 2028 season.
Milwaukee Brewers acquire catcher Danny Jansen from Tampa Bay Rays
The Brewers improved their backup catcher position, acquiring Danny Jansen from the Rays for infield prospect Jadher Areinamo, according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon. Jansen has a .703 OPS and 11 home runs in 73 games and is considered a solid defender. Jansen is a significant upgrade over Eric Haase, who has a .647 OPS and two home runs this season. The move comes as two-time All-Star catcher William Contreras has been playing with a fracture in his left middle finger, which has affected his production. He has just a .682 OPS and six home runs this year.
Minnesota Twins begin sell-off, trade Chris Paddack to Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers bolstered their pitching staff by acquiring starter Chris Paddack and reliever Randy Dobnak from the Twins as Minnesota begins its sell-off ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, The Athletic reports. In return, the Twins received Detroit’s No. 14 prospect Enrique Jimenez, a 19-year-old catcher hitting .250 with a .779 OPS and six home runs in rookie ball.
The move addresses Detroit’s rotation needs as the team pushes for a wild-card spot. Paddack is finally healthy after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery in May 2022. In 21 starts this season, he’s 3-9 with a 4.95 ERA and 83 strikeouts over 111 innings. His fastball is averaging 93.8 mph and he’s in the 85th percentile in chase rate at 31.7%. He becomes Detroit’s new back-end starter with both Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson on the shelf for the rest of the season.
The trade gives Detroit additional arms for both the rotation and bullpen as the deadline approaches, while Minnesota continues reshaping its roster for the future.
