Baseball's 2015 non-waiver trade deadline was among the most eventful and chaotic in memory. The 30 major league teams combined to make a whopping 43 trades in June and July, and 15 deals went down in the 16 hours leading up to the final buzzer at 4 p.m. ET on July 31.
The flurry of activity made for some frenzied speculation and Twitter madness at the time. So how have things worked out, with the benefit of a little hindsight?
A variety of factors go into assessing trade deadline winners and losers six weeks later. A new acquisition might perform well on a team that flopped -- or vice versa. And since these trades usually include minor league talent, it can take several years to sort out which prospects click and which ones fall by the wayside.
But that's the fun part, right? Here are our rankings for 12 midseason contenders and their trade activity on a 1-to-5 baseball scale, with one ball qualifying as a miss and five balls elevating the trade's architect to executive of the year status.
Note to Orioles and Cubs fans: The Gerardo Parra, Dan Haren and Tommy Hunter deals didn't quite make the cut, so feel free to grade those on your own at home.
1. The Mets acquire left fielder Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers for minor league pitchers Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa
The initial take
The Mets did some tinkering around the edges by acquiring Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe from Atlanta and adding Tyler Clippard to the bullpen before the deadline. Amid a sense of panic and hand-wringing in New York, they pulled the plug on a trade for Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez because of concerns about his hip, and general manager Sandy Alderson implemented Plan B and snagged Cespedes from the Tigers.
The view six weeks later
It's ludicrous to suggest that Cespedes should win the National League MVP award based on six weeks. But he's turning in the most dominant performance by a trade deadline offensive acquisition since Manny Ramirez hit .396 with 17 homers and a 1.232 OPS in 53 games with the 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers, and it became fashionable to refer to the left-field stands at Dodger Stadium as "Mannywood.''
Since Aug.1, Cespedes leads the NL with a .676 slugging percentage, 17 home runs and 42 RBIs. As the Elias Sports Bureau notes, Cespedes and Hank Sauer of the 1949 Cubs are the only players to change teams midseason and record at least 15 homers and 40 RBIs within their first 40 games with their new club.
Curtis Granderson, David Wright, Daniel Murphy and others have contributed to the Mets' 30-12 record since the trade deadline, but everyone in New York's lineup feeds off Cespedes.
"He's fearless,'' said a scout, "and maybe it's helped him that this league doesn't know him and he's getting a lot of fastballs that he probably wouldn't get in the American League. He's taken advantage of that. Anything they throw up there, he's going to square up.''
The verdict:
2. Toronto acquires Troy Tulowitzki from Colorado for Jose Reyes and three prospects, then pick up David Price from Detroit two days later for a package headed by Daniel Norris
The initial take
Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos pulled off two shockers in a week, digging deep into his farm system to add an elite starter and a five-time All-Star shortstop.
Anthopoulos' bold strikes sent a signal to the Toronto clubhouse that the Jays were going for it. The message resonated loud and clear with the players.
"I saw it on social media and heard it was about to happen, and I was like, 'I'm not gonna believe this until it's 100 percent true,''' third baseman Josh Donaldson said of the Price trade. "Then 10 minutes later it went through. It was a pretty surreal feeling.''
The view six weeks later
The Blue Jays, who were muddling along at 52-51 when Price showed up, are 30-11 since the trade and have a clear path to the AL East title. Price, 6-1 with a 2.28 ERA and a 2.0 WAR as a Blue Jay, has thrived in his new environs while enhancing his chances for a Clayton Kershaw-Max Scherzer-caliber, $200 million deal in free agency this winter.
In retrospect, Anthopoulos did a lot of things right at the deadline. Ben Revere has given the Jays a huge lift since his arrival from Philadelphia, and Mark Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins have added depth and experience to the Toronto bullpen. Tulowitzki and Revere both helped upgrade Toronto's defense along with adding length to the batting order.
The only downer, of course, is Tulowitzki's potential absence for the rest of the season with a cracked scapula. But it's hard to downgrade Anthopoulos' score because of one unlucky outfield collision.
The verdict:
3. The Pirates acquire lefty starter J.A. Happ from the Mariners for minor league pitcher Adrian Sampson
The initial take
GM Neal Huntington was a busy man in July, picking up Joakim Soria, Michael Morse, Joe Blanton and Aramis Ramirez to add depth or fill holes on the roster. But his best move elicited zero buzz. A.J. Burnett had just gone on the disabled list with elbow inflammation, and the Pirates thought Happ might be able to provide them with some serviceable innings to help fill the void.
The view six weeks later
How does a 5-2 record, a 1.96 ERA, a1.09 WHIP and a 50-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio sound for an under-the-radar pickup? Happ joins Francisco Liriano, Charlie Morton et al. as the latest starter to enjoy a turnaround in Pittsburgh, where Jim Benedict and Ray Searage have a track record for working wonders with pitchers who had reached the end of the line with other organizations.
The verdict:
4. Minnesota acquires reliever Kevin Jepsen from Tampa Bay for two minor leaguers
The initial take
Minnesota's bullpen had allowed 23 runs in 33 innings entering the trade deadline, so general manager Terry Ryan acquired the hard-throwing Jepsen from the Rays to upgrade his relief contingent. The deal was greeted with yawns throughout baseball and disappointment in Minnesota, where Twins fans were hoping for a more emphatic statement from the front office.
The view six weeks later
Jepsen, 31, has been a godsend for manager Paul Molitor and the Twins. He's taken over as closer for Glen Perkins, who has been dogged by back and neck issues since July, and converted seven straight save opportunities while posting a 1.35 ERA, a .130 batting average against and a 0.80 WHIP in 22 appearances. That's almost Craig Kimbrel-like.
"This one is a real sleeper for me,'' an American League scout said. "Jepsen's really stabilized that bullpen. You keep waiting for the Twins to go away, but they just keep hanging in there.''
The verdict:
5. Texas Rangers acquire Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman from Philadelphia Phillies for Matt Harrison and five minor leaguers
The initial take
The Rangers were 49-52 and eight games out in the AL West at the time of the trade, and Hamels appealed to them as a long-term fit because of the three years and $72 million remaining on his contract. After acquiring Hamels, Texas GM Jon Daniels weighed offers to trade starter Yovani Gallardo right up until the deadline before deciding to stand pat.
The view six weeks later
The Phillies are very enthused about outfielder Nick Williams, pitcher Jake Thompson and the prospect haul they received from Texas in the deal, and the Rangers are making a late push to win the AL West with their recently-fortified rotation.
Hamels has a middling 4.04 ERA with the Rangers, but he's pitched at least seven innings in six of his eight starts while showing the competitiveness and tenacity of a staff leader. Gallardo went 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA in August after the Rangers decided to keep him. Throw in 15-game winner Colby Lewis and Derek Holland, who's been solid since his return from the disabled list in August, and the Rangers' rotation could make some noise in October.
Hamels isn't the only Daniels acquisition having an impact down the stretch. Diekman has stepped up his game in the Metroplex, and fellow reliever Sam Dyson has been lights-out since the Rangers acquired him from Miami.
The verdict:
6. Astros acquire Scott Kazmir from the A's for two minor leaguers and add Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers from Milwaukee for four minor leaguers
The initial take
The Astros showed a sense of urgency and dipped into their minor league pipeline to make a run at the playoffs for the first time since 2005. They had to swallow hard before sending their best prospect, outfielder Brett Phillips, to Milwaukee in the Gomez deal.
"This was a move with an eye toward this year, next year and the year after that, more so than five or seven years from now,'' Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow said after the Milwaukee trade. "That's what our fans want. They want us to win.''
The view six weeks later
Kazmir (2-5, 3.06 ERA) and Fiers (4-2, 3.07 with a no-hitter) have provided valuable innings for a rotation that was looking awfully thin behind Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh. They've allowed the Astros to better manage rookie Lance McCullers Jr.'s innings and helped compensate for veteran Scott Feldman's ongoing and season-ending injury issues.
Gomez has given the Astros the desired energy and effort and picked up the pace after a slow start, but he's hitting .234 with a .661 OPS as an Astro and dealing with some health issues. He's sitting out this week's big series against the Rangers because of an intercostal strain.
The verdict:
7. San Francisco Giants acquire pitcher Mike Leake from the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Adam Duvall and minor league pitcher Keury Mella
The initial take
With Matt Cain and Tim Hudson struggling, the Giants took a run at Hamels at the deadline, only to fall short. They ultimately downsized their expectations and traded for Leake, who has been a favorite of San Francisco's evaluators since his days at Arizona State.
The view six weeks later
The Giants have fallen off the pace in the NL West -- in large part because of injuries to Hunter Pence and others -- but they like what they've seen from Leake. He's 1-3 with a 4.34 ERA in San Francisco, and he's displayed a wide range of talents as a good fielder and a weapon at the plate.
The Giants already had Leake on their list of free-agent pitching targets this winter. Now that the two parties are familiar with each other, it won't surprise anyone if the Giants try to sign him to a multiyear deal early in the offseason before he goes shopping in earnest.
The verdict:
8. The Kansas City Royals acquire pitcher Johnny Cueto from the Reds in a four-player trade and pick up infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist from Oakland for two prospects
The initial take
No major league GM approached the deadline with the laser focus of Dayton Moore, who made two big moves to improve a team that was already steamrolling the AL Central.
The Royals planned to have Zobrist play left field while Alex Gordon recovered from a groin injury, then shift him to second base once Gordon came off the DL. But Kansas City's big "statement'' addition was Cueto, who ranked with Price and Hamels as one of three aces available at the deadline. Cueto immediately slotted in at the top of Ned Yost's rotation, and Edinson Volquez, Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy lined up behind him.
The view six weeks later
Zobrist has been terrific in Kansas City. He has an impressive .315/.395/.500 slash line and a 1.6 WAR as a Royal, and he's a comfortable fit between Gordon and Lorenzo Cain in the No. 2 spot in the batting order.
But Cueto's recent implosion has set off alarm bells and injected some major uncertainty into the Royals' October outlook. Cueto has a 9.57 ERA over his last five starts, and he's been plagued by everything from poor location to bad body language. Is Cueto injured, having problems adapting to the American League or just going through a slump at the worst possible time? If the Royals don't figure out the answer soon, it could put a major crimp in their championship expectations.
The verdict:
9. The St. Louis Cardinals acquire outfielder Brandon Moss from the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Rob Kaminsky and pick up relievers Steve Cishek and Jonathan Broxton in separate trades with the Marlins and Brewers
The initial take
The Cardinals, who've led the NL Central since April 16, refrained from high-profile moves and concentrated on depth acquisitions at the deadline. They traded for Moss amid speculation that Milwaukee's Adam Lind was their prime target to replace the injured Matt Adams at first base. Cishek and Broxton, both former closers, were brought in to ease the loads of Kevin Siegrist and Seth Maness, the principal setup men to closer Trevor Rosenthal.
The view six weeks later
That walk-off homer against Washington's Casey Janssen was fun, but Moss' overall numbers as a Cardinal are underwhelming. Cishek (a 1.69 ERA in 19 appearances) and Broxton (19 strikeouts and a 2.65 ERA in 17 innings) have performed as the Cardinals had hoped. But Siegrist still leads the major leagues with 72 appearances and Maness is third with 69, so they both might be on fumes by the time the playoffs roll around.
The verdict:
10. The Nationals acquire closer Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies for minor league pitcher Nick Pivetta and cash considerations
The initial take
After talking his way out of Philadelphia, Papelbon looked forward to pitching for a contender for the first time since leaving Boston for the Phillies in the winter of 2011. But there were ominous signs when Nationals beat reporters asked closer-in-residence Drew Storen for his take on the deal, and he replied that he was talking to his agent and general manager Mike Rizzo, and would refrain from further comment.
Translation: He was not thrilled.
The view six weeks later
This is a tough trade to evaluate. Storen converted 29 of 31 save chances and sported a 1.73 ERA at the time of the deal, so you can argue that the Nats didn't need a closer upgrade. But Rizzo clearly had lost faith in Storen as an October shutdown guy based on his postseason track record. And you can make the case that Storen's adverse reaction to a change in roles shows why the Nationals had their doubts about how he might respond to postseason pressure. Storen logged a 7.56 ERA in 18 appearances as a setup man before slamming a locker box in frustration and suffering a season-ending thumb injury.
At any rate, it's been one big slalom ride downhill for the Nationals. Papelbon has pitched well overall in Washington, but he gave it up in back-to-back losses to the Mets a week ago. Meanwhile, the Nats are playing out the string amid speculation that manager Matt Williams is a goner. It's a brutal ending for a team that began this season with World Series-or-bust expectations.
The verdict:
11. The Dodgers acquire pitcher Alex Wood and second baseman Jose Peraza from the Braves and pitcher Mat Latos from the Marlins
The initial take
Rather than make a high-profile move for Price or Hamels, the Dodgers tried to shore up the back end of their rotation with Wood and Latos. They sent Cuban third baseman Hector Olivera to Atlanta as part of the Wood-Peraza deal.
The view six weeks later
So much for the idea of Latos being motivated by a change of scenery and the carrot of free agency. He's been dealing with neck problems in L.A. and was recently moved from the rotation to the bullpen. Why the Dodgers thought they could squeeze anything productive out of him is a mystery.
Wood contributed one great start, one horrible start and a bunch of OK starts, and Peraza is probably done for the year with a hamstring injury after 22 at-bats as a Dodger. Andrew Friedman's July deals aren't making much of a difference for The Best Team Money Can Buy. But the Dodgers are going to win the NL West regardless, and any team with a 1-2 punch of Kershaw and Zack Greinke is going to be dangerous in October.
The verdict:
12. The Los Angeles Angels acquire David Murphy from the Indians, add David DeJesus from the Rays and pick up Shane Victorino from the Red Sox in a two-day span in late July.
The initial take
The Angels were intent on adding an outfield bat or two to strengthen their lineup, but they weren't interested in dealing top pitching prospect Sean Newcomb for Cespedes, Justin Upton or any other short-term upgrade. So they cobbled together three smaller trades to add depth and versatility.
"I know the media and the fans are really looking at the trade deadline with excitement, but that doesn't mean you do something crazy just to make a headline," interim general manager Bill Stoneman told reporters.
The view six weeks later
It says something when Murphy has been the most productive player in the group with a slash line of .263/.283/.412. Victorino has a .519 OPS in 62 at-bats as an Angel, and DeJesus is 6-for-52. They haven't done enough to help a Los Angeles offense that ranks a disappointing 13th in the American League in runs. Unless the Angels can get on a roll in a hurry, they won't be generating any headlines in October, either.
The verdict: