Giants And Dodgers Load Up Before The Deadline

The Dodgers and Giants loaded up at the trade deadline, and the arms race should make for an interesting NL West.

The 5 Best Moves Of The Trade Deadline

If you don't pick the winners or losers of the trading deadline, a man comes to your door, stuffs you in a sack, and throws you in a trunk. With that in mind, here are five of the best moves made by teams at the deadline.

Red Sox Trade Ex-Prospect For Knuckleball Pitcher

Yankees Trade For Pirates' Casey McGehee

The first-place Yankees made one trade-deadline deal, acquiring corner infielder Casey McGehee from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Rangers Trade For Ryan Dempster

The Texas Rangers were the Official Mystery Team of the 2012 trading deadline, as they swooped in at the last second and acquired Ryan Dempster, who has been the Cubs' best pitcher this year.

The 35-year-old Dempster is having the best season of his career, sporting a 2.25 ERA in 16 starts, and striking out 83 in 104 innings, walking just 27. He was reportedly already dealt to the Braves, but he rejected the deal. The Dodgers and Yankees were the other two teams reportedly in play for the right-hander, and the Rangers were rarely -- if ever -- mentioned. That's why they're mystery teams, people.

The Rangers signed Roy Oswalt last month, but he's been horrible so far, with a 6.49 ERA in six starts. Add in Colby Lewis undergoing elbow surgery, and it was clear the Rangers were interested in bolstering their rotation, though not desperate. A pending free agent like Dempster was likely a lower-cost option than what they were exploring with Matt Garza and Zack Greinke.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Rangers will send two A-ball prospects to the Cubs, one pitcher and one position player.

Reds Acquire Reliever Jonathan Broxton From Royals

Just before Tuesday's trade deadline, the Royals traded relief pitcher Jonathan Broxton to the Reds for a minor-league pitching prospect.

Pirates Acquire Marlins' Gaby Sanchez

Red Sox Acquire Craig Breslow From Diamondbacks

The Boston Red Sox have been looking for lefthanded relief help.

31-year-old Craig Breslow has been having a pretty good year for the Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.177 WHIP in 40 appearances.

His next appearance will be for the Red Sox:

#Dbacks source confirms Breslow to Boston. Angels also were looking at Breslow, need lefty.

— Jack Magruder (@JackMagruder) July 31, 2012

In return, the D’backs get a righthanded reliever, and one other player:

#Dbacks get Albers and Podsednik.

— Jack Magruder (@JackMagruder) July 31, 2012

It’s uncertain why the D’backs want or need Scott Podsednik, unless they have another trade in the hopper. Albers’ numbers are nearly the same as Breslow’s: 2.29 ERA, 1.144 WHIP in 40 appearances. Looks like the Red Sox just wanted to change handedness in their bullpen.

For more on the Red Sox, please visit Over The Monster and SB Nation Boston. For more on the Diamondbacks, please visit AZ Snakepit and SB Nation Arizona.

Cardinals Trade Zack Cox To Marlins For Reliever Edward Mujica

The St. Louis Cardinals have a complete team, with an enviable lineup and full starting rotation, which made them one of the weirdest teams to peg at the deadline. They did need a reliever, though, and that's exactly what they targeted, making a deal with the Miami Marlins:

Cards got Edward mujica for Zachary Cox

— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) July 31, 2012

Mujica went from the Padres to the Marlins in the Cameron Maybin deal before the 2011 season, and the 28-year-old right-hander has pitched 39 innings this year with a 4.38 ERA, 26 strikeouts, and 9 walks. The strikeout-to-walk ratio is down from where it's been the last three years, as Mujica's calling card is usually his plus-control. He also has a problem with home runs, though. How much of a problem?

Edward Mujica has 50 career home runs allowed and 46 career unintentional walks

— Jeff Sullivan (@LookoutLanding) July 31, 2012

In two seasons in San Diego, the reliever allowed 28 home runs. Read that sentence again.

Zack Cox was the 25th-overall pick by the Cardinals in the 2010 draft. He entered the year as the #88 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America, but the 23-year-old has struggled mightily in the Pacific Coast League this year, hitting just .254/.294/.421.

Hunter Pence Traded To Giants For 3 Players

The Hunter Pence trade we've been waiting on to become official is now official. The Philadelphia Phillies have sent Hunter Pence to the San Francisco Giants. The San Francisco Giants have sent Tommy Joseph, Nate Schierholtz, and Seth Rosin to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Don't believe me? Here, read this official tweet that says the exact same thing:

#SFGiants acquire 2-time All-Star Hunter Pence from Philadelphia in exchange for Nate Schierholtz, Tommy Joseph and Seth Rosen

— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) July 31, 2012

Pence has another year of team control beyond this one, and it'll be expensive, but the Giants aren't thinking about 2013. They're thinking about 2012, and Pence is a boost to the outfield. He's never had a below-average offensive season in his career, and he's on pace to break 20 homers for the fifth consecutive season. He could reach 20 this week. The Giants were looking for a righty-hitting outfielder and Pence is a significant one.

Joseph is the main piece going to the Phillies, and the Giants took him in the second round in 2009. Before the year Baseball America ranked him the No. 2 prospect in the Giants' system. He has yet to really take off offensively, but he's 21 and he's a catcher holding his own in double-A. Joseph is a quality prospect.

Schierholtz is a club-control outfielder who ran out of room in San Francisco. He can do a lot of things, albeit none of them great, and he's actually had a better offensive year than Pence in 2012 if you ignore sample sizes. He's an average left-handed hitter and he makes for a useful stopgap.

Rosin is a 23-year-old righty reliever who's had success in the low minors. I'm sure Seth Rosin is a really swell guy, but his significance in this trade is indicated by the fact that the Giants' official Twitter account misspelled his last name. He could have a big-league future in relief, like so many.

Phillies Trade Shane Victorino To Dodgers

It took 13 years for Shane Victorino to make the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Thirteen years and a trade, to be specific. The Dodgers acquired the former All-Star outfielder from the Philadelphia Phillies for reliever Josh Lindblom and Ethan Martin.

Phillies have traded Victorino to Dodgers for Lindblom and Ethan martin

— Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) July 31, 2012

The 31-year-old Victorino is hitting .261/.324/.401 this season -- a far cry from his stellar numbers last year, but not too far from his .277/.342/.434 career line. The nine-year veteran is a pending free agent who has been with the Phillies for the last eight years after going over as a Rule 5 pick in 2004. He'll likely play in left field, with Juan Rivera getting more time at first in place of James Loney.

Lindblom, 25, is a hard-throwing right-hander who has thrown 47 innings for the Dodgers this year, striking out 43 and walking 18 with a 3.02 ERA.

Martin, 23, is a former first-round pick of the Dodgers, going 15th overall in the 2008 draft. The right-hander has a 3.58 ERA in 20 starts this season, his second in Double-A. He's struck out 112 and walked 61 in 118 innings.

The Phillies will recall Domonic Brown from Triple-A to replace Victorino, according to Jayson Stark.

Mariners Trade Brandon League To Dodgers, Send Steve Delabar To Blue Jays For Eric Thames

The Dodgers have acquired reliever Brandon League from the Mariners. The Mariners also sent Steve Delabar to the Blue Jays in exchange for Eric Thames.

Pirates Add Outfielder Travis Snider In Trade

Braves Trade For Cubs' Paul Maholm, Reed Johnson

The Atlanta Braves picked up a left-handed starting pitcher and a right-handed outfielder from the Chicago Cubs, acquiring Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson.

Cubs' Geovany Soto Traded To Rangers

D'backs Trade For Astros 3B Chris Johnson

Francisco Liriano Trade: White Sox Nab Twins Lefty

The Chicago White Sox traded two prospects to the Minnesota Twins for the mercurial Francisco Liriano.

Zack Greinke Trade: Angels Nab Brewers' Ace

There were four teams reportedly making serious runs for Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke, with other teams on the fringes of the discussion. The early reports, though, suggest the Los Angeles Angels have won the sweepstakes:

#Brewers getting shortstop Jean Segura and two Double A pitchers from #Angels for Greinke. "Finishing touches" being applied. Deal is done.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2012

Jean Segura entered the 2012 season as the #55 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America. The 22-year-old shortstop is currently hitting .294/.346/.404 in Double-A.

Greinke will join an Angels rotation that already includes C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver. Dan Haren would be the fourth starter, which is kind of gaudy if he reverts to form. Jerome Williams, Garrett Richards, and Ervin Santana have all made starts for the Angels over the past ten days, and two of them will likely be back in the bullpen.

According to T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers had a chance to acquire Greinke, but they were unwilling to part with third-base prospect Mike Olt.

Dodgers Acquire Hanley Ramirez From Marlins

The Dodgers and Marlins completed a trade that surprised almost everyone; it sent former All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez west, in exchange for a top pitching prospect.

Pirates Trade For Astros' Wandy Rodriguez

The Pittsburgh Pirates have bolstered their pitching staff by adding Houston left-hander Wandy Rodriguez.

Ichiro Suzuki Traded From Mariners To Yankees

It was once thought Ichiro would never leave Seattle for another MLB team. Now he's headed to the bright lights of New York City.

Tigers/Marlins Trade: Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante Swapped For Jacob Turner

The Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins completed a big deal, with Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez heading to Detroit in exchange for Jacob Turner, two prospects, and ... a draft pick?

Astros, Blue Jays Make 10-Player Trade

The Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays completed one of the largest trades in recent history Friday.