We are midway through the September stretch, more than sufficient time to assess which teams did the best at the trade deadline to enhance their playoff chances. And the overwhelming winners are the Tampa Bay Rays, with the Guardians, Braves, Red Sox — and even the Yankees — due credit for accomplishing what they had to. On the other hand, White Sox GM Chris Getz, who’d been the overwhelming lead candidate for executive of the year honors off his flurry of trades that transformed them from 100-loss last place dregs to playoff contenders in one year, may have blown it all by striking out spectacularly at the deadline.

The deadline report card:

RAYS

Even though they’ve been in first place in the American League East since June 30, Rays GM Erik Neander had about the most lengthy laundry list of needs of any team — a catcher who can hit, a frontline starting pitcher, another power arm in the bullpen and a backup infielder — and amazingly he filled them all, beating out a host of teams for Marlins power-hitting catcher Liam Hicks, acquiring Freddy Peralta from the Mets and righty set-up man Tyler Wells from the Orioles, and claiming infielder Jorge Mateo off waivers from the Braves. As of Friday, Hicks was hitting .307 with 4 home runs and 17 RBI in 29 games for the Rays, Wells had a 1.69 ERA in 12 appearances, while Peralta, a bitter disappointment with the Mets, appeared re-born in Tampa Bay, yielding only two earned runs over 18 innings in his first three appearances. The signing of Mateo, meanwhile, couldn’t have been more opportune with Rays shortstop Taylor Walls going down with a hip flexor last week.

GUARDIANS

The pitching-rich, offensively-challenged Guardians added a much-needed power outfield bat in Jo Adell (4 HR, 24 RBI in his first 33 games for them after coming over from the Angels) The results for lefty-swinging first baseman Nathanial Lowe (.223, 5 HR, 21 RBI in 30 games) acquired from the Reds, have been less encouraging but lefty starter Foster Griffin, who was having a standout season with Washington, adds depth to the rotation.

BRAVES

Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos always seems to gets what he needs at the trade deadline and this year was no different when he added depth and quality to his rotation in Tyler Mahle, who’s fashioned a 1.24 ERA after coming over from the Giants. In addition Anthopoulos fortified his bullpen with lefty Brent Suter (1.71 in his first 9 appearances) from the Reds.

YANKEES

Brian Cashman was one of the few GMs who didn’t need pitching at the deadline and his only real needs were a couple of bats to fill in until Aaron Judge hopefully came back — and Luis Garcia Jr. (.299/.336/.530, 7 HR in his first 32 games) looks to be a keeper although not-so-much Heliot Ramos (.155 through Friday). But it appears Cashman may also have added a valuable middle-innings guy, especially against right handers, with his deadline waiver claim of John Schreiber from the Royals.

RED SOX

In what may have been the boldest deal at the deadline — but one that could also have the most impact of any — Red Sox GM Craig Breslow sent 2021 No. 1 draft pick, infielder Marcelo Mayer, to the Giants for behemoth (6-5, 269 pounds) reliever Erik Miller, who, as of Friday, had been nearly unhittable in Boston (0.68 ERA, with 24 strikeouts in 13.1 innings). The back of the bullpen tandem of Aroldis Chapman and Miller may be the most formidable in baseball now.

WHITE SOX

It’s been a truly storybook season on the south side of Chicago with the White Sox, following three straight 100-loss seasons, leading the AL Central since June 22. But they’ve been doing it with a perilously thin, innings-challenged starting rotation that has lately looked gassed, and bullpen games seemingly twice a week. But the best Getz could do to address it was the faded, eminently hit-able Luis Castillo (overall 4-11, 5.57 ERA) from Seattle, who’s been awful. For good measure Getz acquired Mets reliever Huascar Brazoban, who was even more awful (6.30 ERA in 10 games) before going on the injured list with a lat strain. Despite their obvious need for rotation reinforcements, Getz has for some reason been resistant to calling up either Drew Thorpe of David Sandlin, the White Sox top two starting pitching prospects, who’ve both been pitching extremely well at Triple-A Charlotte.

IT’S A MADD, MADD WORLD

It’s beginning to look like baseball’s most endangered manager, Houston’s Joe Espada, may have his job saved by 77-year-old Brent Strom, the Astros’ long-time two-termed pitching guru who was lured out of retirement Aug. 27. Already Strom has been working wonders. As of Saturday, the Astros were 9-7 since Strom has been back and the Astros’ 3.06 ERA is more than a run per game improved since then. The biggest Strom beneficiaries have been Cristian Javier who appears to have returned to top-of-the-rotation form after missing most of 2025 with Tommy John surgery and two months of this season with shoulder inflammation, and Hayden Wesneski. Javier has been terrific in his last two starts, yielding just two runs in 11 innings with 13 strikeouts. Wesneski, who was struggling with a 4.23 ERA before Strom arrived, lowered it to 3.35 in his last three starts. You’ll remember when Astros owner Jim Crane fired general manager Dana Brown on Aug. 24 there were also reports (since denied) that Espada had been informed his contract wasn’t going to be renewed. But they have since steadfastly held onto first place in the AL West, even increasing their lead to three games since Strom’s return. … Hearing a prime candidate for Mets general manager — assuming David Stearns decides to bring one in — could be Jim Cuthbert, the Royals’ highly regarded Director of Pro Scouting. Cuthbert is a Brooklyn native and graduate of St. John’s who has 17 years of scouting experience. Before joining the Royals as one of GM J.J. Picollo’s top assistants three years ago, Cuthbert worked for the Nationals and was their advance scout for the 2019 World Series championship.