New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had one clear goal before Thursday’s MLB trade deadline: Improve the roster to avoid missing the playoffs in 2025. Heading into July 31, New York was in a dog fight with the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox for the AL East lead. Putting a lot of pressure on the front office to improve the roster and not have a lost season with top star Aaron Judge.
So did the Yankees get better before the trade deadline? We grade all their trades before 6 PM ET today.
Ryan McMahon
The Yankees have had a problem at third base all year. While rumors circulated in the spring of a pursuit of Nolan Arenado, a trade never materialized, and they went with internal options during the first half. That failed miserably, and they made a big splash this month with a trade for Colorado Rockies star Ryan McMahon. The one-time All-Star improves their defense on the left side and adds some extra pop to the lineup. He is also signed for two more seasons.
Grade: B
Austin Slater
With Aaron Judge dealing with an elbow injury, Cashman looked to add depth to the outfield and bench with Austin Slater. He is not expected to make a huge impact in the second half, but he fills a need and adds a little base running speed off the bench.
Grade: C
Amed Rosario
The Yankees swung a trade with the Washington Nationals for one-time New York Mets prospect Amed Rosario. The nine-year veteran gives manager Aaron Boone a potential infield replacement late in games and a solid bat off the bench.
Grade: C+
Jake Bird
Improving the bullpen for the stretch run was a goal for the Yankees and many teams before Thursday’s deadline. In a move to add more depth to the pen, the team traded a pair of prospects for Rockies reliever Jake Bird. He is a solid reliever under team control for three more seasons. However, top-10 level prospect Roc Riggio was sent out in the deal.
Grade: C-
David Bednar
The biggest move Cashman made before Thursday’s deadline was for Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar. Not only does it greatly improve their bullpen in the second half, but he can slot into the closing role in 2026 as well. Both Luke Weaver and Devin Williams are free agents after this season and likely will get better offers to close elsewhere this winter.
Grade: A
Rumored move the Yankees didn’t make
In the hours before the MLB trade deadline, there were rumblings that the Yankees were making a hard push for Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara. However, reports claimed Spencer Jones was a player Miami wanted back in the deal. But New York has a high value on the outfielder, and he is viewed as an untouchable outside of a trade for young superstar Paul Skenes.
New York Yankees trade deadline grade
Rarely does Cashman make huge trades during the season. He saves those moves for the offseason after evaluating an entire campaign. In the end, he followed suit again this month by adding depth and bullpen help. They don’t look like a World Series contender this year. The moves they made this week made them better, but not as much as they needed. Still, Bednar is a very nice addition not just for this season, but for 2026 as well.
Grade: C+
