What Were The Top Trade Deadline Pitching Acquisitions?
Photo Credit: Brad Penner/Imagn Images
This year’s trade deadline had a flurry of action up until the last minute. In this post I’ll discuss the top arms that postseason contenders were able to add.
First, let’s take a look at the xwFIP leaderboard for 2025 through the end of July.
xwFIP Leaderboard though July 2025
Table 1: 2025 xwFIP rankings through July (min 30 innings pitched)
Astros closer Josh Hader is atop the leaderboard for the second straight month, followed by Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, Mariners ace Logan Gilbert, Red Sox flamethrowing closer Aroldis Chapman, and Royals ace Cole Ragans.
Other notable names in the top 30 are AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal, coming off his Cy Young and Triple Crown 2024 campaign, and NL Cy Young favorite Paul Skenes.
Next, let’s take a look at the top 30 starters so far this season.
Table 2: 2025 xwFIP leaders among starters (min 30 innings pitches and 7 games started)
Gilbert, Ragans, Brewers rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski, Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, and Skubal round out the top five.
41-year-old future hall of famer Max Scherzer makes the list, although batters have significantly outperformed their expected results against him, given their quality of contact.
In addition to having the xwFIP leader Hader to close games, the Astros also have four starters among the top 30—Brandon Walter, Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, and Ronel Blanco. Blanco is out of the remainder of the season after having had elbow surgery.
Top Arms That Changed Teams at the Deadline
Table 3: Top 10 pitchers traded at the trade deadline (min 30 innings pitched)
The nine best pitchers traded at the deadline were relievers and the tenth was starter Steven Matz, traded from the Cardinals to the Red Sox.
The Twins and Cardinals each let go of three top arms, the Orioles two, and the Giants and Pirates each traded one.
The Rays acquired two top relievers, but it was the Mets who had the best pitching acquisitions of all. Submariner Tyler Rogers was the top pitcher to change hands at the deadline and Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley was the 8th best, both heading to Queens.
