MLB Trade Deadline Move Breakdowns: Merrill Kelly to the Rangers, David Bednar to the Yankees and More

The MLB trade deadline was crazy. We had over 30 trades on the final day, with contenders locking in the edges of the roster and a few bigger names moving to places where they will be expected to make a difference for the home stretch.

Let's look at some notable late trades that took place just before the deadline. This won't include every move, but we'll talk about some of the afternoon/evening trades that could make a difference over the rest of the season and into the playoffs. I will focus on the big-league players who could impact the playoff race rather than the prospects who changed teams.

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Texas Acquires Merrill Kelly from Arizona

I was really looking for the Rangers to pick up a hitter: they have a top pitching staff but a below-average offense by season-long numbers. I can't argue with the acquisition of Kelly though, one of the best starting pitchers to change teams today.

Kelly is average or better in terms of both walk rate and strikeout rate, and he does well limiting hits (98 in 128 2/3 innings this year) and home runs (one every 9.2 innings). The Rangers now have Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Kelly leading the rotation, a group that will be scary if Texas can make the playoffs.

They also got relievers Phil Maton (from the Cardinals) and Danny Coulombe (Twins), and while neither guy will be the closer, they deepen a bullpen that can support their top-level starters.

Fantasy Impact

Arizona has one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball. Texas has one of the most pitcher-friendly parks. It's not crazy to think Kelly is going to be even better. A pending free agent, Kelly might earn himself some extra money if he shines over the final two months and into the playoffs driven by a better team and environment in which to pitch.

Houston Reunites with Carlos Correa

Correa had a storied run with the Astros, winning the World Series in 2017 and regularly making deep playoff runs. He left after the 2021 season in search of a big contract, and though he got plenty of money from the Twins, Correa didn't experience major team success that he was used to, while Houston won another title in 2022.

Correa did fine statistically, but he's having probably his worst season this year and comes back at a low point. With Isaac Paredes out for the season though, third base was a need. Houston also got Ramon Urias from the Orioles, but he doesn't have Correa's upside. The former Astros shortstop can also fill in at his former position when Jeremy Pena sits, and Pena is on the IL, though his return is imminent.

This move (and adding Urias) strengthens Houston's lineup and their bench, and the DH spot is also a need until Yordan Alvarez returns from an injury of his own (maybe mid-August). The Astros are better today than they were yesterday, and for a team leading its division, that's a step toward competing for the ultimate prize.

Fantasy Impact

Correa might do better simply by luck after a rough season, and he'll surely enjoy seeing the Crawford Boxes in left field again to catch some of those long flyball that were outs in Minnesota. I'm not counting on Correa to become a star again, but he's an interesting flyer if you need a streamer for your shortstop spot.

Yankees Beef Up Their Bullpen

New York made a series of moves, bringing in former Pirates closer David Bednar, Colorado's Jake Bird, and Camilo Doval from the Giants. Closer Devin Williams is having his worst season after coming over from Milwaukee in the offseason, and the Yankees now have Luke Weaver and Bednar to pick up the slack if he falters in the playoffs.

Bednar had his own struggles last year and early this season, but he has settled in nicely and currently holds a career-high 33.1% strikeout rate so far in 2025. After allowing an earned run to Milwaukee on May 23, Bednar went 23 straight appearances without giving up an earned run until he did so on Monday against the Giants.

After a below-average strikeout rate in each of his first three seasons, Bird has a 26.3% K% this year (versus league average around 22%). He walks a few too many guys, but Bird also only gives up a home run about every 10 innings, and that was despite half his games coming at Coors Field. Doval is another big strikeout guy who struggles a bit with walks but doesn't allow homers.

This New York bullpen now looks stacked, and it will be even better if Williams rounds into form before October hits. This group won't power the team to the World Series, but they can lock down leads if the offense can get going early.

Fantasy Impact

With none of these guys likely to close, their fantasy value is very minimal. They strike out a ton of batters, so there's some deep-league potential, but the only guy with any real value is Bednar if he were to move in for a struggling Williams.

Tigers Add Pitching

Detroit similarly solidified their bullpen while adding a starter who can help both in the rotation and in relief, especially when the playoffs start. The big move was Washington closer Kyle Finnegan, who my colleague Morgan Rode wrote about earlier. Finnegan has taken a step back from his best but still offers closing experience and can work as a setup man.

Other additions included Paul Sewald (Cleveland), a former closer who is on the IL until probably September; Codi Heuer (Texas), who has spent most of the season in the minors but could join the pen, especially in September; Charlie Morton (Orioles), a starter who will join the rotation as a back-end guy and has playoff experience; and previous acquisition Rafael Montero (Braves), a middle reliever who can pick up some innings.

None of the moves are spectacular or raise Detroit's ceiling, but it gives the team a deeper set of arms in case someone gets hurt or just to spell some pitchers before the postseason. No one ever had too much pitching; now, Detroit might have enough.

Fantasy Impact

No one here is really on the fantasy radar. Morton can be a streamer against weak teams, and maybe Finnegan gets some ninth inning work, but this was more about the Tigers working the fringes of the pitching staff and giving themselves options come October. Who knows: maybe someone will pop.