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The MLB trade deadline market is heating up with less than 12 hours to go. Eugenio Suarez is off the market, returning to the Seattle Mariners, putting all eyes on the pitching market. The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies made trades for much-needed relievers and paid a lot to get them. Buster Olney has the latest on what the Ryan Helsley and Jhoan Duran returns mean for the trade deadline market.
“The amount given up for relievers by the Mets and Phillies stunned rival executives, and the assumption within the industry is that this will embolden the potential offloaders in the last hours before the trade deadline,” Olney wrote for ESPN.com.
The Mets picked up Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley for three prospects, two of which landed among St Louis' top 15 prospects. Duran went from the Minnesota Twins to the Phillies for two of their top-six prospects. Duran is under team control through 2028, while Helsley is a free agent after this season. That led to the price difference between the two pieces.
The MLB trade deadline will undoubtedly see more relief pitchers moving. Olney lists Pirates' closer David Bednar, Angels' closer Kenley Jansen, and Twins setup man Griffin Jax among the top options remaining. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Dodgers are looking for bullpen arms.
Teams that are trading a reliever with team control should be holding out until the final minute. While the market is heating up as 6 p.m. Eastern approaches, the bullpen pitchers could be the last pieces moved. Teams are not going to be quick to send out their top prospects for a bullpen pitcher until they absolutely have to.
The MLB trade deadline is at 6 p.m. on Thursday, and ClutchPoints has you covered all afternoon long. Will your favorite team make a move?
