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Aug 3, 2023, 07:00 AM ET

A fair number of MLB teams look a little different than they did just a week ago.

With the 2023 trade deadline behind us, there are some faces in new places — and others in familiar ones, most notably Justin Verlander, who returned to Houston in the biggest deal on deadline day Tuesday. Mets teammate Max Scherzer fits the former category, as he was traded to Houston’s American League West rival Texas prior to Verlander’s move.

With all the movement over the past week, where does your favorite team stand now? And how was it impacted by this year’s deadline?

Our expert panel has ranked every team in baseball based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 17 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings

Record: 69-37

Previous ranking: 1

There was speculation the Braves might trade for a starter, which made sense because the rotation hasn’t been anything special the past two months, with a 4.82 ERA in June and 4.59 in July. Instead, Atlanta just added around the edges with relievers Brad Hand and Pierce Johnson and infielder Nicky Lopez and took a flier on Yonny Chirinos, who allowed four runs in 3⅔ innings in his Braves debut. Instead, the team will rely on Max Fried, who could rejoin the rotation Friday, and Spencer Strider to get into a more consistent groove. Strider is still racking up the strikeouts — he just passed 200 — but has a 4.23 ERA over his past 14 starts. — Schoenfield

Record: 66-42

Previous ranking: 2

The new balanced schedule was supposed to benefit the American League East more than any other division, mostly because the teams wouldn’t have to play each other as often. Indeed, the fact that all five teams were over .500 entering August suggests this has been the case. But is the new slate actually working against the Orioles? Maybe, if you want to read into Baltimore’s remarkable intradivision record. After beating the Blue Jays on Tuesday, the O’s improved to 7-1 against Toronto this season. Meanwhile, they’re 6-3 against the Rays, 3-3 against Boston and 7-6 against the Yankees, whom they will not see again during the regular season. — Doolittle

Record: 62-46

Previous ranking: 5

If they didn’t win the winter, they might have at least won the trade deadline. Or perhaps they won both, as the Rangers continue to show a flair for stealing headlines. With Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery now in the fold, there’s less pressure on Nathan Eovaldi to return from his injury and other starters can move down a notch in the rotation. Texas probably needed the energy boost the new players should bring, considering it got swept by San Diego over the weekend on the heels of losing a series to the Astros before that. Holding off Houston for the division crown might come down to the two aforementioned pitching additions. The race in the AL West is just getting started. — Rogers

Record: 62-47

Previous ranking: 6

Baseball is a funny game, in the best way possible. Framber Valdez was the AL’s leading Cy Young contender into June and had staked a claim as the best right-now starter in the majors. After that, though he remained solid, his numbers ebbed. Over eight starts, he went 2-3 with a 5.17 ERA. Gerrit Cole of the Yankees probably seized the front-runner role in the Cy Young chase during that window. And when the Astros swung big at the deadline and reacquired future Hall of Famer Verlander, it looked like Valdez had once again become a quality No. 2 starter. Not so fast. In the immediate aftermath of the Verlander news, all Valdez did was go out and no-hit the Guardians on 93 pitches. So much for the slump. — Doolittle

Record: 66-45

Previous ranking: 4

Perhaps no player has mirrored the trajectory of the Rays’ season more than Randy Arozarena. But while the Rays have shown signs of emerging from their midseason funk, Arozarena’s trend line continues to point down. After starring in the WBC, Arozarena looked like an MVP candidate over the first couple of months of the season. Through the end of May, he was hitting .297/.407/.513 and was on pace to top 30 homers, 100 runs and 100 RBIs. Since then, Arozarena has hit .209/.310/.352. There is plenty of time for Arozarena to rediscover his early-season form. If the Rays are to get where they want to go, his ability to do so is crucial. — Doolittle

Record: 61-45

Previous ranking: 3

The Dodgers’ trade deadline can’t be summed up as anything other than a disappointment. They wanted Nolan Arenado, but he ultimately wasn’t made available. They thought they might land Verlander, but then the Astros swooped in. They had a deal in place for Eduardo Rodriguez, but he used his limited no-trade clause to nix it. In the end, the Dodgers had to settle for depth: two platoon infielders (Enrique Hernandez and Amed Rosario), one struggling starter (Lance Lynn), one bullpen arm (Joe Kelly) and one hybrid pitcher (Ryan Yarbrough). The Dodgers hope that those additions, plus the return of Clayton Kershaw and the potential return of Walker Buehler, will make them a World Series representative within an inferior National League. — Gonzalez

Record: 60-49

Previous ranking: 7

As accomplished as George Springer has been during his career, he has always tended toward streakiness. In terms of bad streaks, he has never been deeper than the one he’s in right now. After going 0-for-4 against the Orioles on Tuesday — and before getting a hit on Wednesday — Springer had gone 31 straight at-bats without a hit, the longest hitless streak of his career. Springer is 4-for-55 in his past 14 contests and, as a result, his OPS+ has plummeted to 95, the first time in his career he has been below league average. His worst end-of-season figure thus far is the 114 OPS+ he posted in 2018. — Doolittle

Record: 58-50

Previous ranking: 8

The Phillies acquired starter Michael Lorenzen from the Tigers. The veteran right-hander, who was the Tigers’ All-Star rep this season, has been on a roll of late with a 2.50 ERA over his past seven starts. “I feel like I’ve been throwing the best ball I’ve ever thrown,” he told reporters. “I feel like there is still room to grow and I’m getting better. Hopefully when I get to Philly, I can apply that and they get the benefits of that.”

Lorenzen has both started and relieved during his career and Cristopher Sanchez has done a nice job as Philly’s fifth starter with a 2.66 ERA in nine starts (although somehow with no victories), so we’ll see how the Phillies use Lorenzen. Sanchez has certainly not pitched himself out of the rotation, but maybe he goes to the bullpen or perhaps the team goes with a six-man rotation. — Schoenfield

Record: 60-49

Previous ranking: 13

The Giants did next to nothing before the trade deadline, merely acquiring a right-handed-hitting outfielder — AJ Pollock, batting .173 this season — who would have probably been designated for assignment anyway. But there weren’t that many high-impact players available, and many of the others would not have represented clear upgrades. The Giants don’t have much in the way of high-end talent, but they sure are deep. And though they didn’t acquire anybody who would necessarily put them over the top, preserving that depth should serve them well over the next two months.

“Looking at the National League, I don’t really see a seismic shift based on the trades,” Giants President Farhan Zaidi said. “A lot of it’s going to just come down to who plays the best down the stretch.” — Gonzalez

Record: 57-51

Previous ranking: 10

Starting pitching will be the key for the Red Sox down the stretch. To put it another way, their rotation will be the unit most under scrutiny after the front office failed to add a starting pitcher before the deadline. While Boston can hope Trevor Story‘s looming return will be the upgrade the lineup needed, the rotation will be hoping for good injury news over the season’s final weeks. Tanner Houck is scheduled to start a rehab stint this weekend, while Chris Sale has already begun one of his own. Garrett Whitlock also isn’t far away from testing his arm against minor league competition. If things go well, Boston’s approach at the deadline will look less like an oversight and more like foresight. — Doolittle

Record: 58-51

Previous ranking: 9

A bad loss Wednesday to the Nationals added to a rough week for the Brewers after they got swept by Atlanta over the weekend. Milwaukee’s vaunted pitching staff gave up a total of 29 runs in the three losses, but that might say more about the Braves than the Brewers. Still, the brutal week on the mound led to a 7.16 ERA, highest in baseball in that span. Opposing hitters posted a .311 batting average during that time. The good news is Milwaukee had an under-the-radar good trade deadline, adding lefty Andrew Chafin along with hitters Carlos Santana and Mark Canha. All three should be factors in the NL Central race down the stretch. — Rogers

Record: 59-51

Previous ranking: 15

A minor addition to the bullpen is all Cincinnati decided to do at the deadline, mostly because it’s getting Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo back from injury soon. Besides, the Reds are a year ahead of schedule, so whatever they do in the stretch run is gravy. Either way, they could use a better pitching performance than the one they received from Ben Lively on Tuesday. He gave up 13 runs on 13 hits in just four innings. That’s the most earned runs given up by a Reds pitcher since ERA became an official stat in 1913. The point is, the Reds are going to have to hit their way to the playoffs — unless Greene and Lodolo are the second-half answers to their mound woes. — Rogers

Record: 57-52

Previous ranking: 14

The D-backs slogged through an 8-16 record in July, going from two games up in the NL West at the start of the month to 3½ back by the end of it. They’re hoping reinforcements can provide a much-needed boost. The D-backs added right-handed-hitting outfielder Tommy Pham to help balance out the lineup and acquired closer Paul Sewald to fortify the back end of their bullpen. But they didn’t add a starting pitcher. And they certainly needed one, especially with Zach Davies and Tommy Henry on the injured list.

“That market was really tough,” GM Mike Hazen said. “There weren’t a lot of starters out there available. Some of the starters that were out there got held, some got traded. We didn’t end up acquiring one. We were willing to overpay, in our mind, for a starter.” — Gonzalez

Record: 56-53

Previous ranking: 17

You might have heard by now, but the Angels didn’t just decide to keep Shohei Ohtani — they decided to go all-in with Shohei Ohtani. In a trade deadline that was generally devoid of action, the Angels — an unlikely playoff team, with Mike Trout still injured and Ohtani on the precipice of free agency — stood out for their action.

Over the past month or so, they added a first baseman (C.J. Cron), two other infielders (Mike Moustakas and Eduardo Escobar), an outfielder (Randal Grichuk), a starting pitcher (Lucas Giolito) and two relievers (Reynaldo Lopez and Dominic Leone). All of them cost prospects from a system that was already thin. They were added in an effort to win in what could be Ohtani’s final season in Anaheim — and perhaps to convince him to stay. Now we’ll get to find out if it works. — Gonzalez

Record: 56-52

Previous ranking: 11

The Yankees haven’t had a losing season since 1992. Expect to hear that factoid a lot over the next few weeks unless New York is able to get on a roll soon. For one thing, it is one of the most remarkable streaks in sports. For another, the Yankees’ passive approach at the deadline will come under increasing scrutiny if things go south from here. Most of their key players have underperformed projections, with Gerrit Cole being the notable exception. Aaron Judge has also been on point when he has been in the lineup, something that is essential to the Yankees’ chances down the stretch. That much was evident during his absence — the offense more resembled a dead ball era Highlanders attack than what we’ve come to expect from the 21st century Bronx Bombers. — Doolittle

Record: 58-51

Previous ranking: 16

It was a busy week for the Marlins as they added relievers David Robertson and Jorge Lopez and then first baseman Josh Bell, third baseman Jake Burger and pitcher Ryan Weathers on deadline day. Gone are Garrett Cooper, Jean Segura, Dylan Floro and some interesting prospects in Jake Eder, former first-round pick Kahlil Watson, Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez. The switch-hitting Bell will help balance a lineup that has been too right-handed while Burger provides power (25 home runs), albeit with a low OBP (.279). They should make the Marlins offense a little better. Unfortunately, Robertson blew the save in Tuesday’s loss to the Phillies, allowing three runs in the ninth after Sandy Alcantara had pitched eight scoreless innings. — Schoenfield

Record: 55-53

Previous ranking: 21

A winning surge right before the trade deadline changed the Cubs’ fortunes — they held onto Cody Bellinger instead of trading him, and thus they have a shot at the postseason in the NL. Their one deadline addition, Jeimer Candelario, is playing first base for the first time in three years but Chicago simply wants his bat in the lineup. He became the first Cub since at least 1900 to have four hits in his debut, after playing for another team in the same season, during Tuesday’s 20-9 rout of the Reds. Six different Chicago players homered in that game, tying a franchise record. The Cubs’ offense isn’t the problem right now. Starters Marcus Stroman — who was placed on the 15-day IL on Wednesday — and Drew Smyly need to find their game or adding at the deadline might turn out to be a mistake. — Rogers

Record: 54-55

Previous ranking: 18

There were rumors at various points last week that the Padres might essentially punt on 2023 by trading Blake Snell and Josh Hader. Then they swept the first-place Rangers and instead GM A.J. Preller augmented the roster, acquiring a new DH platoon in Ji Man Choi and Garrett Cooper, a starter in Rich Hill and a back-end bullpen member in Scott Barlow.

The approach wasn’t as shortsighted as it might appear. The Padres have a favorable run differential, grade out well defensively, have been pitching well for most of the season and have been done in by what might be considered fluky events, most notably a poor record in one-run games, an even worse mark in extra innings and a brutal performance with runners in scoring position. They believe they’re a legitimately good team. Now they have to prove it. — Gonzalez

Record: 56-52

Previous ranking: 19

The Mariners went 17-9 in July to climb back into the playoff race but traded away closer Paul Sewald to the Diamondbacks, believing they have enough depth with the likes of Andres Munoz, Matt Brash & Co. Infielder Josh Rojas came over in the deal, leading to the departure of Kolten Wong, who never got his bat going. Outfielder Dominic Canzone is a lefty hitter with contact skills and the Mariners look like they’ll give him a chance to play. That could mean less playing time for Teoscar Hernandez, who leads the majors in strikeouts. — Schoenfield

Record: 55-54

Previous ranking: 12

Last year’s trade deadline did not work out for the Twins. It’s more obvious now than it was then that they would be better off with the prospects they traded (Yennier Cano, Cade Povich, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer) than the veterans they acquired (since-traded reliever Jorge Lopez and injured starter Tyler Mahle). Did that unfortunate outcome impact the Twins’ 2023 deadline approach? Because Minnesota did nothing at the deadline, it’s a reasonable theory, though probably not what actually happened.

GM Derek Falvey told reporters, “We see the internal guys as being as good or better than what we could access at that time.” We’ll find out if Falvey’s assessment is right, but one thing to keep in mind: The trade deadline, for all the attention it receives, is not the make-or-break moment for a franchise. If the Twins are able to get into the playoffs and play competitive baseball once there, we’ll look at Falvey’s words as prescience. — Doolittle

Record: 53-56

Previous ranking: 20

Cleveland made some interesting deals, leading with sending Aaron Civale to the Rays for Triple-A first baseman Kyle Manzardo. That now means the entire Opening Day rotation is either injured or with another team — and the Guardians are still hanging with the Twins. They also traded Josh Bell to the Marlins for Kahlil Watson, a shortstop who was a first-round pick in 2022. He hasn’t torn it up in the minors but has the tools and upside to take a gamble on. The Guardians also called up shortstop Brayan Rocchio, the team’s top prospect, and he should get an extended run the final two months. — Schoenfield

Record: 50-57

Previous ranking: 22

One thing’s for sure: The trade deadline would have been a lot less interesting without the Mets. With so many teams on the bubble deciding to play it safe and not make any big moves, the Mets traded away Scherzer, Verlander, Robertson, Canha and Pham. They included a pile of cash in the Scherzer and Verlander deals, essentially buying prospects from the Rangers and Astros.

The biggest name there: Shortstop Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of Ronald Acuna Jr. Luisangel was hitting .315/.377/.453 at Double-A with seven home runs and 42 steals, obviously lacking his brother’s power. With Francisco Lindor at shortstop, plus Ronny Mauricio in Triple-A (although he’s played some second base and left field), it will be interesting to see what the Mets do with Acuna. Some speculate on a move to center field, although he remained at shortstop in his first game with Binghamton. — Schoenfield

Record: 48-61

Previous ranking: 23

The Cardinals will play out the final two months of the season doing something they rarely do: auditioning players for next season. Moving on from Montgomery, Jordan Hicks and Jack Flaherty means openings for others, such as Matthew Liberatore, who should get some meaningful developmental innings. Speaking of pitching, lefty Steven Matz has quietly put together a nice run. He posted a 2.17 ERA while giving up just 21 hits in 29 innings during July. Teams had a hard time squaring him up, leading to a .197 opposing batting average during that time frame. Matz is signed through 2025, so the Cardinals could use that kind of production moving forward. — Rogers

Record: 48-59

Previous ranking: 25

Pittsburgh produced back-to-back series wins last week, taking down two teams vying for playoff positions: San Diego and Philadelphia. The Pirates pitched as well as they have in some time. Against two good hitting teams, they only gave up 37 hits in 46 total innings over a seven-day span ending on Wednesday. Johan Oviedo threw the best of the bunch, going seven innings against the Tigers on Tuesday while allowing just one run on six hits. Mitch Keller also threw well last week, reminding the league of what Pittsburgh did early in the season — before its season regressed. — Rogers

Record: 48-60

Previous ranking: 24

There is a lot to ponder around Rodriguez’s decision to exercise a no-trade option. E-Rod told reporters that he wanted to stay closer to family on the East Coast than would have been possible with the West Coast Dodgers. Rodriguez’s contract allows him to veto deals to 10 teams, one being L.A. It also allows him to opt out of the final three years and $49 million of his deal with the Tigers after this season. Should the Tigers have tried to deal Rodriguez to an East Coast contender like the Orioles or Red Sox? (Of course, they may have tried.) Will the fact that they tried to trade him at all cement his decision to exercise the opt out? We’ll find out.

Meanwhile, on the field, after pitching like a Cy Young candidate early in the season, Rodriguez has been a more tepid 2-3 since then with a 4.91 ERA, a figure inflated by some bad BABIP luck. Whatever happens, one thing hasn’t changed since E-Rod signed his contract with Detroit: The Tigers’ future rotation looks a lot better with him in it than without him. — Doolittle

Record: 43-66

Previous ranking: 26

By most accounts, the White Sox did well in their trade deadline deals, as they said goodbye to the current iteration of the team that won just two playoff games after an extended rebuild. Of course, the same could be said of their deadline deals the last time they traded away veterans — and that obviously didn’t work out the way they hoped. The only question left for the White Sox this season is if ownership will look to a new front office to take over baseball decisions. It’s not likely to happen, so the organization will move forward with an unclear future. One note from the deadline: There was a lot of chatter about pitcher Dylan Cease. He didn’t move this week, but he could this offseason. — Rogers

Record: 46-63

Previous ranking: 27

As expected, the Nationals traded Jeimer Candelario, although they ended up keeping outfielder Lane Thomas. In return for Candelario, they acquired High-A shortstop Kevin Made and lefty starter DJ Herz from the Cubs. Made was a high-profile international signing a few years ago who has struggled to hit in the minors, although he has pretty good contact skills and the ability to remain at shortstop. Herz is in Double-A where he’s racked up high totals of both strikeouts and walks and looks like a probable bullpen arm. Neither are certain big leaguers but both have some potential, so it’s a solid return for a two-month rental. — Schoenfield

Record: 42-66

Previous ranking: 28

The Rockies — in what some would consider a surprising turn of events — actually did what was expected of them before the trade deadline, shedding five would-be free agents in C.J. Cron, Randal Grichuk, Mike Moustakas, Pierce Johnson and Brad Hand. They yielded seven pitching prospects. Now the Rockies need to figure out how to develop them. — Gonzalez

Record: 34-75

Previous ranking: 29

There were rumors of a Salvador Perez trade to the Marlins, and Perez reportedly was open to a deal to Miami, where he has an offseason home, but no deal was put together. That left the Royals with a couple of small trades: Nicky Lopez to the Braves, Scott Barlow to the Padres and Ryan Yarbrough to the Dodgers. On the field, the Royals won their fourth in a row on Tuesday against the Mets, thanks to a walk-off balk. The first win came on Bobby Witt Jr.’s walk-off grand slam for an 8-5 win over the Twins on Friday. — Schoenfield

Record: 30-79

Previous ranking: 30

The A’s were clearly in “unload” mode leading up to the trade deadline, but they wound up trading away only three veteran players in a span of 12 days. The reason is quite simple: The A’s don’t have many players that other teams want. There’s a reason they’re last in winning percentage, run-differential, OPS, ERA and, of course, our Power Rankings. — Gonzalez

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Most iconic — and chaotic — alternate CFB uniforms of the past 25 years

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July 27, 2025

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Most iconic -- and chaotic -- alternate CFB uniforms of the past 25 years

Jul 26, 2025, 11:05 AM ET

Some have had a few. Some have had many. The Oregon Ducks seemingly come up with a new one every week.

The topic is, of course, alternate uniforms. The best of the best have become beloved staples of the fall calendar for college football fans. Just as many, though, have been relegated to the dustbin of history (or at least a campus storage closet). A vaunted few have risen to an even higher tier: cult classic.

With the 2025 college football season approaching, we decided to run through the extensive catalog of alternate uniform offerings in the sport since 2000 and parse through it all to determine some of the most memorable — for better or for worse.

We broke our superlatives list down into a number of categories — three broad, three specific, each with multiple nominations, and six exclusive awards. Some of these categories reward aesthetic beauty. More prefer just plain zaniness.

Here are the best, worst and wildest of alternate uniforms from the past 25 years.

Best in show

In the nominations for our best of the best, we covered a wide range of topical ground. From distinct colors to well-executed throwbacks, our five picks offer an array of different ways to make an alternate uniform pop.

Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors: Retro and rainbow, 2015

Florida International Panthers: Miami Vice, 2024

Houston Cougars: Paying homage to the Oilers, 2023

Florida Gators: Simplistic throwback perfection, 2019

SMU Mustangs: Repping Dallas, 2019

Most … ambitious

It’s always encouraging when a team is willing to try something new — creativity and boldness are two traits that help make college football fun. That said, not every outside-the-box alternate uniform idea is created equal. We’re not necessarily saying these uniforms are bad, but they definitely were… enterprising.

Florida Gators: Gator-print, 2017

Michigan State Spartans: Neon green, 2019

Colorado Buffaloes: Throwbacks gone too simplistic, 2009

Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Yankee Stadium crossover, 2018

Miami Hurricanes: Orange sleeves, 2005

Craziest helmets

A great — or poor — helmet can make or break a uniform, so we created a separate category for some of the most notable lids. Bonus points were awarded for distinctiveness, regardless of how well-executed.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: Big Red front and center, 2024

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Honeycomb theme, 2012

Utah Utes: Rose Bowl specials, 2022

Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia tries grey, 2011

Virginia Tech Hokies: The flexing HokieBird, 2012

Most “State-triotic”

A key element of college football is representing a school’s hometown or home state. These three schools went the furthest in going above and beyond to fulfill that mission, incorporating their state’s flag into their alternate uniforms. The aesthetic results were varied.

Maryland Terrapins, 2011

Colorado State Rams, 2017

Texas Tech Red Raiders, 2014

Best from the final frontier

An unlikely source of quality alternate jerseys in recent years? Outer space. In fact, space-themed uniforms produced enough impressive alternates that we deemed it worthy of its own category. Here are the best of the best to have drawn inspiration from the stars.

UCF Knights: Space U, 2023

Purdue Boilermakers: Honoring the school’s astronauts, 2019

Air Force Falcons: Representing the Space Force, 2022

Best tribute

Context matters for uniforms, too. Almost all alternate uniforms represent or honor something, but some threads have particularly special motives. These two alternates have established themselves as particularly distinguished in the backstory category.

Boston College Eagles: The red bandana series

The Eagles have donned uniforms featuring a red bandana pattern and a “FOR WELLES” nameplate once a year since 2014. The uniforms pay homage to Welles Crowther, a Boston College alum who died saving lives in the Sept. 11 attacks while wearing a red bandana.

UAB Blazers: The Children’s Harbor series

A tradition since 2016, UAB has worn special jerseys for select games as part of a partnership with Children’s Harbor, a service center for seriously ill children and their families in Birmingham, Alabama. The Blazers’ Children’s Harbor jerseys feature the names of patients on the back in place of those of players.

Worst trend to never catch on

Block letter jerseys

A very brief but nevertheless unfortunate stint in the pantheon of alternate uniform history was the spurt of designs in the early 2010s featuring jerseys with block letter logos front and center. Of the assorted pitfalls an alternate uniform can hit, these ran the gauntlet.

Changing the aesthetics for the jerseys of teams with classic traditional threads? Check. Unwieldy designs without grounding in a school’s history or tradition? Check. Creating a strange on-screen viewing experience? Check. Blissfully, these never took hold outside of a few Big Ten one-offs.

Lifetime achievement award

Oregon

Undoubtedly the most prolific uniform-producing school, the Ducks put out more uniform combinations in a season than some programs do in a decade. Instead of trying to choose which categories to slot them into — since they’ve produced enough memorable combinations to be involved in just about every option, really — we’re simply giving the Ducks a lifetime achievement award, showcasing a short palette of their range here.

Best alternate uniform reveal series

Notre Dame

While there have been plenty of great alternate uniform reveals, nobody in the game has committed to a bit quite like Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish started in 2022, parodying “The Hangover” to unveil their uniforms for that year’s Shamrock Series game in Las Vegas. They’ve since established the movie parody lane as their niche, riffing “Jerry Maguire” in 2023 and “Wolf of Wall Street” in 2024.

Best consistent yearly alternate uniform matchup

The Army-Navy game

Admittedly, there are not a ton of matchups producing alternate uniform matchups on an annual basis. Or any, for that matter. But it simply wouldn’t be an alternate uniform story without plaudits being given to the level of detail put into Army and Navy’s respective uniforms on a yearly basis for their rivalry game in recent years. So, like Oregon, we’ve created a specific category to highlight some of the best Army-Navy alternate uniform showdowns.

Techs Stick Together unity award

Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech, 2007

It felt right to end this piece with an “alternate” uniform that, while very much not intentional, was certainly memorable. On November 1, 2007, Virginia Tech played a routine road game against Georgia Tech. There was just one issue — some of the Hokies’ jerseys had gone missing. As a result, four Virginia Tech players had to play with the only extra uniforms on hand: Yellow Jacket road jerseys, with new names scrawled on the back and “Georgia Tech” blacked out on the front.

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Va. Tech probing tampering claim by NC Central

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July 27, 2025

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Va. Tech probing tampering claim by NC Central

  • David HaleJul 26, 2025, 10:54 AM ET

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    • College football reporter.
    • Joined ESPN in 2012.
    • Graduate of the University of Delaware.

At a media event Friday, North Carolina Central coach Trei Oliver was asked about the most ridiculous moments he has faced in coaching, and his response set off alarms across the state of Virginia.

Oliver said he found a Virginia Tech assistant coach on the sideline for one of North Carolina Central’s games last year and suggested the coach was there to lure his star running back, J’Mari Taylor, into the transfer portal.

“Virginia Tech was actually on my sideline recruiting our running back,” Oliver told reporters, according to WRAL News. “That was pretty bold. I couldn’t believe it.”

Oliver didn’t name the running back, but he said the player later transferred to Virginia. Taylor was a first-team all-conference player who is now on Virginia’s roster.

Oliver said he needed assistant coaches to calm him down on the sideline, noting several told him, “He’s just down here visiting.'”

“But I knew what it was,” Oliver said.

Virginia Tech released a statement Saturday saying this was the first time the issue had been raised and that the school would investigate.

“This is the first time the issue has been brought to our attention, and no concern has previously been shared with us through any formal channel,” the team said. “Virginia Tech takes all NCAA rules seriously and is committed to conducting our program with integrity. We are reviewing the matter internally and will address any findings appropriately.”

Taylor, a graduate transfer, will be part of the Virginia backfield rotation this season, and Oliver said he will be rooting for his former player at his new school — particularly when the Cavaliers play Virginia Tech on Nov. 29.

“Thank God he went to UVA,” Oliver said, “and UVA is going to beat the smoke out of them other folks.”

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MLB trade deadline updates, rumors: Bubble teams could shape week ahead

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July 27, 2025

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MLB trade deadline updates, rumors: Bubble teams could shape week ahead

Jul 27, 2025, 09:20 AM ET

The 2025 MLB trade deadline is just around the corner, with contending teams deciding what they need to add before 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31.

Could Jarren Duran be on the move from the Boston Red Sox? Will the Arizona Diamondbacks deal Eugenio Suarez and Zac Gallen to contenders? And who among the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies will go all-in to boost their 2025 World Series hopes?

Whether your favorite club is looking to add or deal away — or stands somewhere in between — here’s the freshest intel we’re hearing, reaction to completed deals and what to know for every team as trade season unfolds.

More: Top 50 trade candidates | Passan’s preview | Fantasy spin

Jump to: Completed deals | Latest intel

Completed deal tracker

Yankees make another deal for infield depth

The New York Yankees acquired utility man Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals in exchange for two minor leaguers. Story »

Royals get outfielder in trade with D-backs

The Kansas City Royals acquired veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-hander Andrew Hoffmann. Story »

Yankees land infielder McMahon in deal with Rockies

The New York Yankees are acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon in a trade with the Colorado Rockies, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »

Mets get bullpen help from O’s

The New York Mets have acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »

Mariners start trade season with deal for Naylor

The Seattle Mariners have acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-hander Brandyn Garcia and right-hander Ashton Izzi are headed back to the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners for first baseman Josh Naylor, sources told ESPN. Story » | Grades »

MLB trade deadline buzz

July 27

Can Mets find an ace at deadline? The market has been very thin in teams offloading, but according to sources, the Mets continue to look around to see whether there’s a match for a starting pitcher capable of taking the ball for a Game 1, Game 2 or Game 3 of a postseason series. Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks could be that guy, or maybe it’s Seth Lugo of the Royals, or the Padres’ Dylan Cease. Perhaps it’s one of the two big-time starters who will be under team control beyond this season, the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara or the Twins’ Joe Ryan. The Mets’ rotation was exceptional early in the year, before injuries and natural regression began to take a toll, and the team could use a boost in the front end of this group as they fight the Phillies for NL East supremacy. — Buster Olney

Which way will deadline bubble teams go? The staredown continues as deadline week begins, with perhaps as many as a half-dozen teams waiting to declare their status. “This weekend is big for a lot of teams,” said one evaluator.

The Rays, who appeared to be gathering momentum a month ago, are now just a game over .500, and given the organization’s longstanding focus on maximizing the value of their players, some rival evaluators think they could now be considering dealing some pieces away.

The St. Louis Cardinals are two games over .500, with the industry waiting to see whether they will deal closer Ryan Helsley. The expectation is that they will, given the tough NL playoff landscape. The Tigers could be interested, maybe the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers or Yankees.

The Los Angeles Angels are now five games under .500, and the presumption is that they will eventually move some players before the deadline, but the Angels don’t always operate in the way teams typically do. Taylor Ward has drawn interest from other organizations. — Olney

July 25 updates

Will the Royals trade Lugo — or extend him? Seth Lugo is an intriguing name in the trade market, but rival evaluators don’t sense the Royals are especially motivated to make a deal. Kansas City could also use this moment to explore an extension with Lugo, to keep their deep well of starting pitching intact. — Buster Olney

Angels’ deadline plans coming into focus: Any confusion about whether the Angels will add or subtract ahead of the trade deadline has seemingly cleared up in recent days, with a four-game losing streak that has them five games under .500.

The Angels are telling teams their pending free agents are available, sources with knowledge of the situation said. That includes third baseman Yoan Moncada, utility infielder Luis Rengifo, starting pitcher Tyler Anderson and closer Kenley Jansen. Left fielder Taylor Ward, controllable through 2026, can also be had with the right deal.

The Angels famously never rebuild under owner Arte Moreno and are prone to adding even in times when they seem like long shots to contend — most notably in 2023, when they not only held on to Shohei Ohtani but also traded for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez before collapsing in August.

At this time last year, they tried to move the likes of Anderson and Rengifo but did not believe they would have received enough back to justify holding on to them through the following season. And so it is worth noting: Even if the Angels do decide to punt on 2025, their goal would be to contend again next season.

Any moves they make would probably be geared toward that. By trading away rentals, the Angels will try to use the trade deadline to add accomplished players who can help the team next year. — Alden Gonzalez

What the Astros might be looking for: The Astros’ best fit in a hitter is someone who could play second base or left field, and they can move Jose Altuve accordingly. Per FanGraphs, the Astros have a 94.5% chance to reach the postseason; they lead the Mariners by five games in the AL West. — Buster Olney

How Arizona could shape the trade deadline: The Diamondbacks informed other teams in the past that they would “probably” be dealing away players, but even after trading Josh Naylor to Seattle, it’s unclear just how far Arizona will go. If the D-Backs decided to go all-in on trading veterans, they could reshape their organization significantly, by moving free-agents-to-be Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and, of course, Eugenio Suarez.

The perception of other front offices is that Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick does not want to completely offload, especially with the Dodgers drifting back toward the pack in the NL West — and as of Thursday night, Suarez wasn’t even officially on the market.

The Diamondbacks, who reached the World Series in 2023 after winning just 84 games during the regular season, won their first three games after the All-Star break, but have subsequently lost three in a row. What some rival evaluators believe is that if the D-Backs keep dealing, it’ll be because of a nudge from the front office. Arizona has been extensively scouting other organizations in preparation. — Buster Olney

White Sox starter drawing interest from contenders: About a half-dozen or more scouts will be in attendance at Rate Field on Friday night when Adrian Houser takes the mound for the White Sox. He has compiled a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for Chicago after being picked up midseason. Teams don’t believe they’ll have to give up a lot to acquire him, and he could make for a good back-end starter or depth piece for a contender. The White Sox are likely to move him at his peak, and Friday could be the final look for those who are interested. — Jesse Rogers

July 24 updates

Could Mets land this deadline’s top slugger? Eugenio Suarez could be an intriguing option for the Mets as they’ve gotten little production out of Mark Vientos at third base. And if things work out and Suarez wants to stay — and they want him to — he could also provide protection for the Mets at first base in case Pete Alonso moves on next season. The Mets rank 23rd in OPS at third, so why wouldn’t they inquire about Suarez, knowing they can hand the position back to Vientos in 2026 if they wish. — Jesse Rogers

July 23 updates

Houston is in the market for a third baseman: Add the Astros to the list of contenders looking for a third baseman. With All-Star Isaac Paredes expected to miss significant time because of what manager Joe Espada described as a “pretty serious” right hamstring strain, the Astros have begun poking around for available third basemen. One of them is the Rockies’ Ryan McMahon, who also has drawn interest from a few other clubs.

The 30-year-old represents a solid veteran option. McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs, and the metrics indicate he has been one of the top defensive third basemen in the majors this season. He is under contract over the next two seasons for $32 million, so he wouldn’t be just a rental, which should raise the Rockies’ asking price. — Jorge Castillo

A big addition to the available deadline starting pitching options? A surprise name has emerged in the starting pitcher market: Dylan Cease, who will be eligible for free agency at year’s end. Perception of other teams is that the Padres are intent on making a push for the playoffs and would use Cease to help fill other roster needs. Mets, AL East teams, Cubs among teams that have talked about him. — Buster Olney

How Cubs are approaching deadline: The Cubs are looking for a starting pitcher first and foremost, but won’t part with any top prospects for rentals. They would be willing to trade a young hitter for a cost-controlled pitcher or one already under contract past this season. They are desperate to add an arm who can help while Jameson Taillon recovers from a calf injury. Bullpen games in Taillon’s place haven’t gone well. — Jesse Rogers

Will Twins trade top pitchers? Several high-profile teams are in need of bullpen help ahead of the trade deadline — including the Mets, Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers — and the Twins have two of the best available in Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. The sense is that at least one of them will be traded, but those who are looking for relief help expect the asking price to be very high, partly because both of them are controllable through 2027 and partly because the Twins’ uncertain ownership situation has clouded the approach with those who are not pending free agents.

The Twins are widely expected to trade outfielder Harrison Bader, super-utility player Willi Castro, starter Chris Paddack and lefty reliever Danny Coulombe. But Jax, Duran and young starter Joe Ryan are the ones who would bring back the biggest return. The Twins are said to be listening on everyone. But the team being up for sale since October, and in limbo ever since prospective buyer Justin Ishbia increased his ownership stake in the White Sox in early June, has complicated matters with longer-term players. — Alden Gonzalez

July 22 updates

An Orioles starting pitcher to watch: It seems very likely that Charlie Morton (3.47 ERA last 12 appearances) will be traded, within a relatively thin starting pitching market with a lot of teams looking for rotation help — the Padres, Yankees, maybe the Mets or Astros; a number of teams have expressed interest. In the past, Morton has had a preference to pitch for a team closer to the East Coast and his Florida home, but he doesn’t control that. O’s GM Mike Elias does. — Buster Olney

Will Cleveland deal All-Star outfielder? The player asked about the most on the Guardians’ roster is Steven Kwan, but given that he is two and a half years away from free agency, it’s unlikely he’ll be traded, according to sources. Kwan’s slash line this year: .288/.352/.398. He also has 11 stolen bases and has made consecutive All-Star appearances. — Olney

Braves not looking to move Murphy: Sean Murphy‘s name has been tossed around in trade speculation, but according to sources, he will not be available. Atlanta’s catcher is playing well this year and will be playing under a high-value contract for the next three seasons — $15 million per year from 2026 to 2028, plus a team option in ’29. And the Braves are set up well with the right-handed-hitting Murphy and left-handed-hitting Drake Baldwin perhaps sharing the catching and DH spots into the future. — Olney

Why the 2022 Cy Young winner isn’t the most in-demand Marlins starter: Edward Cabrera has become more coveted than Sandy Alcantara, who teams believe might take an offseason to fix. Alcantara’s strikeout-to-walk ratio is scary low — just 1.9 — and his ERA is 7.14. Cabrera, on the other hand, is striking out more than a batter per inning and his ERA sits at 3.61. The 27-year-old right-hander will come at a heavy cost for opposing teams. — Jesse Rogers

How Kansas City is approaching the trade deadline: The Royals have signaled a willingness to trade, but with an eye toward competing again next year — meaning they aren’t willing to part with the core of their pitching staff. Other teams say Kansas City is (unsurprisingly) looking to upgrade its future offense in whatever it does.

Right-handed starter Seth Lugo will be the most-watched Royal before the deadline, since he holds a $15 million player option for 2026 “that you’d assume he’s going to turn down,” said one rival staffer. That’ll make it more difficult for other teams to place a trade value on him: The Royals could want to market him as more than a mere rental, while other teams figure he’ll go into free agency in the fall when he turns down his option. — Olney

What the Dodgers need at the deadline: The Dodgers’ offense has been a source of consternation lately, with Max Muncy out, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman slumping, and key hitters tasked with lengthening out the lineup — Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto — also struggling.

But the Dodgers’ focus ahead of the deadline is still clearly the bullpen, specifically a high-leverage, right-handed reliever. Dodgers relievers lead the major leagues in innings pitched by a wide margin. Blake Treinen will be back soon, and Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol are expected to join him later in the season. But the Dodgers need at least one other trusted arm late in games.

It’s a stunning development, considering they returned the core of a bullpen that played a big role in last year’s championship run, then added Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in free agency. But Scott and Yates have had their struggles, and there are enough injury concerns with several others that it’s a need. — Alden Gonzalez

Which D-backs starter is most coveted? The Diamondbacks are getting as many calls — if not more — about Zac Gallen as they are for Merrill Kelly, even though the latter starting pitcher is having the better season. Teams interested in adding to their rotations still have more faith in the 29-year-old Gallen than the 36-year-old Kelly. — Rogers

Who are the White Sox looking to deal? Chicago’s Adrian Houser seems likely to move, as a second-tier starter who has performed well this season. The 32-year-old right-hander was released by the Rangers in May but has been very effective since joining the White Sox rotation, giving up only two homers in 57⅔ innings and generating an ERA+ of 226. Nobody is taking those numbers at face value, but evaluators do view him as a market option. The White Sox also have some relievers worth considering.

But it seems unlikely that Luis Robert Jr. — once projected as a centerpiece of this deadline — will be dealt, unless a team makes a big bet on a player who has either underperformed or been hurt this year. The White Sox could continue to wait on Robert’s talent to manifest and his trade value to be restored by picking up his $20 million option for next year, which is hardly out of the question for a team with little future payroll obligation. — Olney

Why Rockies infielder could be popular deadline option: Colorado’s Ryan McMahon is the consolation prize for teams that miss out on Eugenio Suarez — if he’s traded at all. The Cubs could have interest and would pair him with Matt Shaw as a lefty/righty combo at third base. — Rogers

Does San Diego have enough to offer to make a big deal? The Padres have multiple needs ahead of the trade deadline — a left fielder, a catcher, a back-end starter. How adequately they can address them remains to be seen. The upper levels of their farm system have thinned out in recent years, and their budget might be tight.

The Padres dipped under MLB’s luxury-tax threshold last year, resetting the penalties. But FanGraphs projects their competitive balance tax payroll to finish at $263 million this year, easily clearing the 2025 threshold and just barely putting them into the second tier, triggering a 12% surcharge.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller might have to get creative in order to address his needs. One way he can do that is by buying and selling simultaneously. The Padres have several high-profile players who can hit the market this offseason — Dylan Cease, Michael King, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez — and a few others who can hit the open market after 2026. Don’t be surprised to see Preller leverage at least one of those players, and their salaries, to help fill multiple needs. — Gonzalez

Which Orioles could be on the move? Not surprisingly, Baltimore is perceived as a dealer and is expected by other teams to move center fielder Cedric Mullins, first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and some relievers. — Olney

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