Reviewing the action-packed 2021 Trade Deadline, 5 years later

It’s often said that you can’t truly judge a trade at the time it’s made. In fact, some deals take years to assess, especially when prospects are significant parts of the transaction.

Sure, we can see how they played out over the course of that season, but to get a true sense of which team “won” a deal, some time is necessary.

With that in mind, let’s reexamine the 2021 Trade Deadline, one that featured a number of high-profile trades that left our heads spinning at the time. Five years later, how do these 13 deals look?

Dodgers get RHP Max Scherzer, SS Trea Turner
Nationals get C Keibert Ruiz, RHP Josiah Gray, RHP Gerardo Carrillo, OF Donovan Casey

One of the bigger deals in recent memory, the defending-champion Dodgers added both a three-time Cy Young Award winner and an All-Star shortstop in one stunning move.

Only two years removed from their 2019 World Series title, the Nationals sat only 2 1/2 games out of first place on July 1, but a four-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers sent Washington into a spiral, losing 16 of 21 games to fall nine games back. General manager Mike Rizzo made the decision to sell, with Scherzer and Turner topping the lengthy list of trade candidates.

With the Giants and Padres both looming as potential destinations for Scherzer, the Dodgers pounced, acquiring both Scherzer and Turner in one staggering deal. The price seemed steep at the time; Los Angeles sent four prospects to Washington including both its No. 1 (Ruiz) and No. 2 (Gray), along with its No. 17 (Carrillo).

Scherzer, who had just turned 37 three days prior to the trade, was dominant in his 11 starts for the Dodgers, going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA. He made four appearances for Los Angeles in the postseason, and while he pitched to a 2.16 ERA, he failed to get out of the fifth in two of his three starts. He did pitch the final inning of the Dodgers’ Game 5 win over the rival Giants in the NLDS, earning the first and only save of his career.

Turner also thrived after the deal, hitting 10 homers with 28 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and a .950 OPS in 52 games. Turner had one final year of arbitration-eligibility remaining at the time of the deal, giving the Dodgers protection as Corey Seager headed for free agency that fall.

The Dodgers – who finished a game behind the Giants despite a 106-win season – were ousted by the Braves in a six-game NLCS, spelling the end of Scherzer’s brief tenure with the club as the pitcher signed a three-year, $130 million deal with the Mets. Turner played one more year in Los Angeles, hitting 21 home runs with 100 RBIs, 27 steals and an .809 OPS, but the Dodgers were eliminated by the Padres in the NLDS, after which the shortstop signed a massive 11-year, $300 million deal to join the Phillies.

As for the prospects the Dodgers gave up, Ruiz became the Nationals’ primary catcher in 2022, and while he has held that role for the past five seasons, he has yet to make an All-Star team. Gray was selected to his first All-Star team as a 25-year-old in 2023, but elbow surgery derailed his career at the start of 2024 and he has been working his way back ever since.

Carrillo pitched in the Nationals organization from 2021-23, getting as high as Double-A. Then after injuries forced him to miss all of 2024, the right-hander signed a Minor League deal with the Rangers in 2025. He’s currently pitching at Triple-A for the Diamondbacks.

Casey played in the Nats organization through 2023, then after a stint in independent ball returned to the Dodgers system in 2024 and played in Mexico in 2025.

Mets get: SS Javier Báez, RHP Trevor Williams
Cubs get: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong

With Francisco Lindor on the injured list with an oblique injury, the Mets brought in Báez – one of his oldest friends – to help fill the void left by his injury. With nearly 300 games of experience at second base, Báez could then move there once Lindor was healthy, forming an All-Star double-play combination.

The addition of Williams in the deal also gave the Mets some rotation depth while they waited for Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard to return from IL stints of their own.

To acquire the two-time All-Star and 2020 NL Gold Glove Award winner, the Mets sent the Cubs 19-year-old Crow-Armstrong, their No. 5 prospect. The 19th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Crow-Armstrong was recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery, having played only six games with Low-A St. Lucie that year.

At the time, Mets president Sandy Alderson said of the deal, “We gave up a really good prospect, but we weren’t prepared to sell the farm,” as they passed on other deals that may have required the inclusion of top prospect Francisco Alvarez.

The Mets were 55-47 on Deadline day, holding a four-game lead in the NL East. Báez had nine homers, 22 RBIs and an .886 OPS in 47 games with New York, but the Mets endured a late-season collapse, going 21-37 over the final two months and missing the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year.

The worst part for the Mets, however, was yet to come.

Crow-Armstrong returned from his surgery in 2022 and began his quick ascent through the Cubs system. He reached Triple-A by 2023, making his big league debut that September. He became Chicago’s full-time center fielder in 2024, then made the All-Star team and won a Gold Glove Award in 2025, becoming one of the sport’s biggest stars. The 24-year-old made his second All-Star team this season and is a leading NL MVP candidate.

• Inside the numbers of Crow-Armstrong's incredible hot streak

Báez left New York after the 2021 season, signing a six-year, $140 million deal with the Tigers. Because he was traded mid-season, the Mets were unable to extend him a qualifying offer, so they received no compensation after he departed.

Giants get: 3B/OF Kris Bryant
Cubs get: OF Alexander Canario, RHP Caleb Kilian

The Giants were in first place in the NL West at the Deadline, but after the Dodgers made a big statement with their trade for Scherzer and Turner, San Francisco countered with a notable move of its own.

With corner infielders Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria both dealing with injuries, the Giants added Bryant, a four-time All-Star and former NL MVP who was headed for free agency at the end of the season. The 29-year-old had posted a strong first half with the Cubs, then played well for the Giants, hitting seven homers with 22 RBIs and a .788 OPS in 51 games as San Francisco won 107 games to edge the Dodgers in the NL West.

Unfortunately for the Giants, they drew their rivals in the NLDS, which the Dodgers won in five games. Bryant went on to sign a seven-year, $182 million contract with the Rockies, for whom he has played only 170 games over the past four-plus seasons due to injuries.

To acquire Bryant, the Giants sent Canario (their No. 9 prospect) and Kilian (No. 30) to the Cubs, who were in the process of trading away multiple pieces of their 2016 World Series team (more on that later).

Canario moved through the Cubs’ system and made his MLB debut in September 2023, but he played only 21 games for Chicago before the Mets acquired him for cash considerations before the 2025 season. The Pirates acquired him from the Mets a month later, playing Canario in 87 games last year. He is currently playing for the Seibu Lions in Japan.

Kilian made eight appearances for the Cubs between 2022-24, spending 2025 in the Minors. He signed back with the Giants as a Minor League free agent last winter, made the team this spring and pitched his way into the closer’s mix, converting eight of 11 save opportunities so far this season.

Yankees get: 1B Anthony Rizzo
Cubs get: RHP Alexander Vizcaíno, OF Kevin Alcántara

We mentioned the Cubs’ teardown of their historic 2016 team, and while we’ve already discussed Báez and Bryant, Chicago actually sent Rizzo to the Yankees a day before the other two moved.

In need of left-handed hitting, the Yankees went out and acquired Rizzo, who had also been a target of the rival Red Sox. Hours earlier, the Yankees had dealt for Rangers All-Star outfielder Joey Gallo (we’ll get to him next), so the addition of Rizzo added a second lefty bat to New York’s unbalanced lineup.

Rizzo hit eight homers with 21 RBIs and a .768 OPS in 49 games with the Yankees after the deal, while Gallo hit 13 homers with 22 RBIs and a .707 OPS (and a paltry .160 average) in 58 games, as New York finished tied for second in the AL East behind the Rays before losing the Wild Card game to the Red Sox.

Rizzo signed a two-year, $32 million deal to stay with the Yankees after the season, then after opting out of the deal a year later, he inked a new two-year deal with a club option for 2025. He hit 52 homers with a .730 OPS over his final three years in New York, retiring at the end of the 2024 season.

Alcántara was the Yankees’ No. 12 prospect, but he turned out to be the best part of the deal for the Cubs. Alcántara made his MLB debut in September 2024 and has played 30 games in the Majors, including 17 this season. Still only 24 years old, he ranked as Chicago’s No. 6 prospect in 2025.

Vizcaíno, the Yankees’ No. 9 prospect at the time of the deal, made six appearances at High-A for the Cubs and hasn’t pitched in the Minors since.

Yankees get: OF Joey Gallo, LHP Joely Rodríguez
Rangers get: 2B Ezequiel Duran, SS Josh Smith, INF/OF Trevor Hauver, RHP Glenn Otto

Like Rizzo, Gallo was brought to the Yankees to provide left-handed power, which he did with 13 homers in 58 games after the trade. But Gallo struggled in 2022, hitting .159 with 12 home runs and 24 RBIs in 82 games, becoming a target for an angry fan base. The Yankees traded him to the Dodgers at the Trade Deadline, ending his tenure in New York after only one year.

Unlike the Rizzo deal, however, the Yankees would watch some of the prospects they gave up for Gallo blossom into productive big league players.

Josh Smith, the Yankees’ No. 14 prospect at the time, won a Silver Slugger Award in 2024, posting a 3.5 bWAR that season and a 2.9 figure in 2025. Smith is having a down year in 2026, though the 28-year-old utility player remains under club control for two more years.

Ezequiel Duran (Yankees’ No. 15 at the time) has also been in the Majors for the majority of the time since 2022, his best season coming in 2023 (14 homers, 46 RBIs, .768 OPS). Duran is on pace to best that in 2026, hitting 10 homers with 50 RBIs and a .760 OPS in 87 games this season (2.3 bWAR).

Otto made 39 appearances (33 starts) for Texas between 2021-23 before being selected off waivers by the Padres in September 2023. He hasn’t pitched in the Majors since. Hauver remains in the Rangers’ system but has yet to make his MLB debut.

Braves get: OF Joc Pederson
Cubs get: 1B Bryce Ball

Braves get: OF Jorge Soler
Royals get: RHP Kasey Kalich

Braves get: OF Adam Duvall
Marlins get: C Alex Jackson

Braves get OF Eddie Rosario
Indians get: 1B/3B Pablo Sandoval

Between Ronald Acuña Jr.’s torn ACL and underperformance by Marcell Ozuna and Guillermo Heredia, the Braves entered trade season in desperate need of outfield help.

During a 15-day stretch that began on July 15, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos began to fix what was broken, acquiring Pederson from the Cubs.

On Deadline day, Anthopoulos finished his outfield makeover with a flurry of moves, trading for Soler, Duvall and Rosario, giving manager Brian Snitker an arsenal of players to mix and match as necessary.

The cost for the Braves was their No. 12 (Ball), No. 16 (Jackson) and No. 26 (Kalich) prospects, plus Pablo Sandoval, who was released by Cleveland immediately following the trade.

Rosario tied for the team lead in RBIs (11) during the postseason, while Duvall (10) and Pederson (9) did their share of damage, as well. Soler had three home runs and six RBIs in the World Series, taking home MVP honors.

Of the prospects traded away, only Jackson has played in the Majors, playing a backup catching role with five different teams since 2021.

Red Sox get: OF Kyle Schwarber
Nationals get: RHP Aldo Ramirez

Once the Yankees traded for Anthony Rizzo, the Red Sox turned to Schwarber, adding the lefty power bat they needed. Schwarber was on the IL with a hamstring injury at the time of the trade, but he hit seven homers with 18 RBIs and a .957 OPS in 41 games with Boston after his return, providing the pop the Sox had hoped he would.

Boston beat the Yankees in the Wild Card game and got past the Rays in the ALDS before falling to the Astros in the ALCS, as Schwarber homered in each series.

Ramirez (Boston’s No. 19 prospect at the time) never got higher than Single-A and is no longer with the Nationals.

A's get: OF Starling Marte
Marlins get: LHP Jesús Luzardo

A rare trade of Major League players, Marte gave the Athletics the all-around outfielder they had been seeking, while the Marlins picked up Luzardo, a young, controllable left-handed starter.

Marte, who was headed for free agency, hit five home runs with 30 RBIs, 25 stolen bases and an .824 OPS in 56 games for the A’s, but their 86 wins weren’t enough to get to the postseason. Marte signed a four-year, $78 million deal with the Mets after the season.

Luzardo spent two-plus years in Miami, going 21-28 with a 4.15 ERA in 74 starts. He was traded to the Phillies in December 2024, posting a strong 2025 season for Philadelphia before making his first career All-Star team this summer.

Rays get: DH Nelson Cruz, RHP Calvin Faucher
Twins get: RHP Joe Ryan, RHP Drew Strotman

When the Rays smell a chance to take aim at a division title, they get aggressive at the Deadline. That was the case in 2021, when Tampa Bay traded for 41-year-old slugger Nelson Cruz, who had just made his seventh career All-Star team.

Cruz produced for the Rays, hitting 13 home runs with 36 RBIs in 55 games as Tampa Bay beat out the Yankees and Red Sox for the AL East crown. That turned out to be Cruz’s final big season, as he played for the Nationals and Padres in 2022 and 2023 before retiring at age 43.

Minnesota received Tampa Bay’s No. 10 (Ryan) and No. 17 (Strotman) prospects in return, and while Strotman bounced around Triple-A for multiple organizations over the next three years, Ryan has become one of the best pitchers in baseball, earning All-Star selections in each of the past two seasons.

Yankees get: RHP Clay Holmes
Pirates get: INF Diego Castillo, INF Hoy Park

One of the most under-the-radar moves of the 2021 Deadline, the Yankees added bullpen depth with their trade for Holmes, who still had three years of arbitration-eligibility remaining. Little did they know that the right-hander would become their closer from 2022-2024.

Neither Castillo nor Park were ranked among the Yankees’ Top 30 prospects at the time of the trade. Both players have played in the Majors since, though neither has been much of a factor.