Once again, I like it for the Rays. Mead doesn't do anything well. They traded Littell for 2 prospects, one of which is already expected to be a bigger contributor than Mead, and upgraded Littell's rotation spot. Amazing. Fucking go for it! The Red Sox didn't move the needle, and with Judge on the IL the Yankees needle moved backwards this deadline, after their free fall almost as sever as the Rays. Rays got significantly better at the deadline. Very, very pleased.

I don't care about this trade. Mead is approaching the end of his option years and he hasn't broken out yet. His trade value is low and his value to the Rays was even lower. They didn't want him and refused to play him. The White Sox also got Davitt and Peoples in this trade. I'm higher on Davitt than most, but his ceiling is a #4/5 and those guys don't have a ton of trade value while in the minors. Peoples is a MIRP and those guys have zero trade value while in the minors. So from a trade value sense, this trade is fine. From a strategic point of view though??? What does this trade accomplish? The Rays' season is over. I wanted the Rays to trade for Bednar, Santana and Bird 6 weeks ago when it mattered. The Yankees just acquired Bednar and Bird for pocket lint. The Rays have to leapfrog 4 other teams to make the playoffs and they have to do that while playing their next 15 games against the Dodgers at home and then spending 2 weeks on a West Coast road trip that will almost certainly result in a .500 or worse record (West Coast road trips are almost always .500 or worse affairs for the Rays). The Rays hurt their future with their deadline deals this year and it won't change their 2025 outcome (which is a .500 or so record).