How Did the Cubs’ Trade Deadline Compare to the Rest of the National League?

Just because the MLB trade deadline is over doesn’t mean the discourse ever stops.

The Chicago Cubs had a pretty successful one, as fans have raved and as many members of the media have dubbed it. ESPN’s David Schoenfield put them just below the Los Angeles Dodgers, who, of course, acquired the league’s most sought-after trade chip in Tarik Skubal. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden gave the Cubs the fourth-best deadline grade in MLB. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer called it the 'best day in a long time' for the organization.

Perhaps the biggest swing the Cubs made was getting Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets and sending former No. 1 prospect Jefferson Rojas to New York in return.

With the way the Cubs have been playing and the reinforcements they have ready to make an impact, their sights are set on making a run for the NL Central title. The Cubs sit 5.5 games behind the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers entering play on Friday, but the division rivals still have seven games left against each other at the tail end of the regular season. And that could make things very interesting!

The Cubs have a healthy 6-game lead in the top NL Wild Card spot ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

As the playoff picture will start to take shape in the coming weeks, how did the Cubs’ NL rivals stack up against them at the trade deadline?

Milwaukee Brewers

Most impactful addition: RHP Dustin May

Key departure: OF Alexander Frias (No. 11 prospect)

The Brewers had a relatively quiet deadline, and it shows with the biggest ins and outs here. Milwaukee fell short of adding Skubal, which probably made the Cubs' front office breathe a sigh of relief.

But the Brewers still have the best record in baseball, and they're known to get the absolute best out of any pitcher — which could already be materializing with the addition of Dustin May from the Cardinals. May spun six innings of two-run ball along with five strikeouts in his Brewers debut on Thursday.

Milwaukee didn't have to spend a ton to get May, sending St. Louis their No. 11 prospect, 18-year-old Single-A outfielder Alexander Frias. Frias is now the Cardinals' No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, which just goes to show how strong of a farm they have in Milwaukee.

Atlanta Braves

Aug 4, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Lane Thomas (20) runs the bases against the Miami Marlins during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Most impactful addition: OF Lane Thomas

Key departure: RHP Lucas Braun (No. 8 prospect)

To say the least, the Braves had a pretty disappointing deadline for a team currently holding MLB's second-best record. Much like the Cubs in 2025, Atlanta was tapped to land a frontline starter, but ultimately decided against forking over top prospects in a deal.

That left their biggest move to be the acquisition of OF/DH Lane Thomas from the Kansas City Royals, whom they brought in mainly as a platoon bat to face lefties. Thomas has an .812 OPS against southpaws this season.

All in all, the Braves didn't improve a ton on paper, and it will be interesting to see if the Philadelphia Phillies, who are currently 8.5 games back in the NL East, can chip away before the playoffs.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Aug 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Most impactful addition: LHP Tarik Skubal

Key departure: OF Zyhir Hope (No. 5 prospect)

The Dodgers won the Skubal sweepstakes, though they never really had any serious competition in doing so. It cost Los Angeles Zyhir Hope, their No. 5 prospect, as well as right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith, who now make their way to Detroit.

Cubs fans may remember Hope as the key piece in the Michael Busch trade all the way back in January 2024. The Cubs drafted Hope in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Draft and he wasn't ranked at the time, but a meteoric rise now lands the 21-year-old at No. 25 in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list.

The Cubs were the stage for Skubal's debut in Dodger blue on Tuesday. The lefty looked relatively sharp in his six-inning, two-run outing, but the Cubs still managed to outplay Los Angeles behind a productive performance from Javier Assad in the 5-1 win.

Regardless, the Dodgers now have one of the most intimidating rotations in recent memory, adding Skubal to a group already boasting Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani (who isn't pitching at the moment), Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki. That is terrifying in any playoff situation, and it only makes the Dodgers that much stronger for a three-peat.

Philadelphia Phillies

Aug 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez (4) runs the bases on a home run during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Most impactful addition: INF Luis Arraez

Key departure: RHP Ramon Marquez (No. 4 prospect)

The Phillies went big in acquiring three-time batting champ Luis Arraez alongside pitcher (and former Cub from the Kris Bryant trade) Caleb Kilian from the tanking San Francisco Giants, sending prospects Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair in return.

Arraez is far and away MLB's best modern contact hitter and can make an impact on any lineup with his otherworldly bat-to-ball skills. Arraez leads the NL in batting average (.326) and seldom strikes out. He's already hitting .385 since he landed in Philadelphia and looks poised to be the playoff boost the Phillies need as they hold the second NL Wild Card spot.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Aug 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Lars Nootbaar (21) in the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Most impactful addition: OF Lars Nootbaar

Key departure: RHP Daniel Eagen (No. 5 prospect)

Before the Cubs got Clay Holmes, the Diamondbacks were reportedly close to acquiring the right-hander. However, the deal fell through due to the Mets' medical concerns with a player in the return, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com.

That left Arizona without a frontline starter and without a backup plan after that reported option was also taken off the board. Instead, they settled for outfielder Lars Nootbaar from the Cardinals in exchange for No. 5 prospect Daniel Eagen, No. 26 prospect Sandro Santana and a player to be named later.

Gilbert reported that Arizona's front office was 'frustrated' about the Nootbaar deal being the only one it pulled off before the deadline.

San Diego Padres

Jul 30, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray (38) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Most impactful addition: LHP Robbie Ray

Key departure: LHP Kash Mayfield (No. 2 prospect)

The surging San Diego Padres won eight of nine heading into the deadline and now sit just a game out of the final NL Wild Card spot. That made their notoriously aggressive general manager A.J. Preller go out and get two of the top available starters: Robbie Ray from the Giants and Casey Mize from the Tigers.

Preller doesn't shy away from offloading top prospects, and he did so again in giving San Diego's No. 2 prospect, left-hander Kash Mayfield, up for Mize and righty Miguel Mendez, their No. 4, up for Ray.

In adding Ray, the Padres get the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner who slots right into the front-end of their rotation. Ray pitched to a 3.08 ERA in 122.2 innings with the Giants this season.

The Padres also got to hold on to their star relievers in Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon, both of whom were floated as potential trade chips while San Diego was struggling earlier in the season. That gives them a very intriguing pitching staff heading into the stretch run, and one the Cubs know well from last year's Wild Card Series.

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