Major League Baseball has seen some surprising moves in recent years, such as Rafael Devers being traded by the Boston Red Sox while still in his prime and performing well offensively during a significant contract year. Trades involving high-profile players like Devers demonstrate that even the league’s top talent can be moved under the right circumstances. With this in mind, a ranking has been constructed to identify the most impactful player trades of the 2020s, considering performances from January 1, 2020, up to the present.

This ranking evaluates players based solely on how highly they were regarded at the moment of their trade, not on subsequent performance or the value exchanged in the deal. For example, players such as Kris Bryant are ranked based on their status at the time of the trade rather than future seasons. This focus narrows the scope to the player‘s perceived skill levels when the transactions occurred, excluding other external factors.

An initial list included many names, with some notable players receiving honorable mentions for not quite making the top 10. These players include Luis Castillo, Kris Bryant, Chris Sale, Matt Chapman, Garrett Crochet, Justin Verlander, Yu Darvish, Josh Hader, Tyler Glasnow, Robbie Ray, Luis Arraez, Pablo Lopez, Teoscar Hernandez, Chris Bassitt, and Jordan Montgomery. Despite varied levels of success after their trades, their status during the trades kept them just short of the elite group ranked here.

Trades narrowly missing the elite group: Max Scherzer and Corbin Burnes

At number 12 is Max Scherzer, who was moved from the New York Mets to the Texas Rangers on July 30, 2023, in exchange for Luisangel Acuña. Although the list focuses on the top 10 player trades, Scherzer’s two distinct trade events earned him positions both within and just outside the list. At the time of this 2023 trade, he was past his absolute prime yet still performed at an impressive level, having posted a 2.29 ERA with 5.3 WAR in 2022. His seasons show sustained excellence and leadership, culminating in a pivotal role for the Rangers’ World Series championship run that year.

Corbin Burnes takes the 11th spot after moving from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Baltimore Orioles on February 1, 2024. Burnes was an established ace when traded, having won the National League Cy Young Award in 2021 and putting up a respectable 3.39 ERA and 3.5 WAR during that recent season. The Orioles’ acquisition represented a strategic reinforcement of their pitching staff, complementing their strong position-player pipeline. Burnes’ consistency throughout 2023 and into the 2024 playoffs underlined his status as a frontline starter.

Players ranked 10 through 6: Devers, Olson, Tucker, Turner, and Lindor

Rafael Devers ranks tenth after being traded from the Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants on June 15, 2025, receiving multiple prospects in return. Devers had established himself as a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger. At the time of the trade, he was hitting .272 with a .401 on-base percentage and a .504 slugging percentage across just under half a season in 2025, putting up solid power and plate discipline numbers. His peak previous full-season statistics include a .311 batting average, 38 homers, and a 142 OPS+, all showcasing a player in his prime at age 28.

Matt Olson earned the ninth spot for his trade from the Oakland Athletics to the Atlanta Braves on March 14, 2022. Olson’s 2021 campaign was exceptional, as he hit .271/.371/.540 with 39 homers and 111 RBIs while producing 5.9 WAR. He played half of his games in a pitcher-friendly park, making his power numbers more impressive. Olson’s contributions helped solidify his stature, and he led all major league players in home runs and RBIs during the 2023 season.

Kyle Tucker is eighth, after being traded from the Houston Astros to the Chicago Cubs in December 2024. Tucker’s development saw him evolve from a 2018 debutant to a consistent All-Star and top MVP candidate. Though his 2024 season was hampered by a leg injury, he still delivered a .289/.408/.585 slash line, accompanied by 23 homers and 11 stolen bases in just 78 games. His ability to produce both power and speed solidifies his ranking among the best players traded.

At seventh is Trea Turner, who was traded midseason on July 30, 2021, as part of a blockbuster deal that sent him and Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Turner had begun to shine by averaging 4+ WAR in preceding years, with a 2021 pre-trade slash line of .322/.369/.521. He accelerated further with the Dodgers, leading the National League in hits and steals, winning the batting title, and putting up 6.5 WAR through the season while finishing fifth in MVP voting.

Francisco Lindor is placed sixth after his trade from the Cleveland Guardians to the New York Mets on January 7, 2021. Lindor entered the trade shortly before his age-27 season, already boasting three top-10 MVP finishes and reliable elite defense at shortstop. His all-around offensive capability included a 2018 season with 40 homers and 25 steals complemented by his outstanding fielding, making him a highly valuable acquisition for the Mets.

Third to fifth in the rankings: Arenado, Prime Scherzer, and mid-prime Juan Soto

Nolan Arenado ranks fifth after moving from the Colorado Rockies to the St. Louis Cardinals on February 1, 2021. As a franchise cornerstone, Arenado was an ironman third baseman with consistently stellar offensive and defensive numbers. His six seasons from 2015 to 2020 averaged a .298 batting average, 40 home runs, 126 RBIs, and 6.5 WAR per full season. This steady production marks his place as one of the decade’s most valuable trade acquisitions.

Four spots higher at number four is Max Scherzer’s first trade in 2021, moving alongside Turner from the Nationals to the Dodgers. This version of Scherzer was closer to his prime, reflected in a strong 8-4 record, a 2.76 ERA, and elite control indicated by a 0.89 WHIP. After the trade, Scherzer dominated with a 1.98 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 68 innings, anchoring the Dodgers’ playoff rotation and demonstrating why he was a perennial Cy Young candidate.

Juan Soto appears twice on this list, at numbers three and two, due to his two trades during the 2020s. His first trade from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres on August 2, 2022, saw him at a relative low point, hitting .246/.408/.485 with 3.7 WAR in 101 games. However, Soto remains a generational hitter with an elite on-base skill set and power, underscored by his 7.3 WAR in 2021 when he hit .313/.465/.534.

Juan Soto’s second trade and Mookie Betts crowned the top player traded

Following shortly behind in value is Soto’s second trade, from the Padres to the New York Yankees on December 7, 2023. This move reunited Soto with a chance to remain a premier offensive force, as he returned to a strong .275/.410/.519 line with an OPS+ of 155 during the 2023 season. His consistency as a superstar, demonstrated over these consecutive trades within his prime years, marks him as possibly the greatest player traded this decade.

At the top of this ranking is Mookie Betts, whose trade from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 10, 2020, stands as the most impactful. Betts was coming off a 2018 season in which he won almost every major honor, including American League MVP, supported by a tremendous 10.7 WAR. His 2019 campaign followed with a .295/.391/.524 output along with 7.2 WAR. Having led the Red Sox to a World Series title and possessing five-tool skills, Betts was among the best players in baseball at the time of his trade, and his abilities suggest a future Hall of Fame career.

Assessing the decade’s biggest player trades and their lasting implications

This ranking highlights how the 2020s have featured game-changing trades involving some of Major League Baseball’s most extraordinary talents. Players like Mookie Betts and Juan Soto stood at the pinnacle of their craft when traded, altering franchise trajectories. Meanwhile, players approaching or in their primes, like Rafael Devers and Matt Olson, shifted the balance of power and contributed immediately to their new teams.

Many of these trades reflect strategic decisions by teams balancing present contention with future building, often exchanging young talent for established stars. As the decade progresses, the impact of these deals will be better understood, but for now, they underline the unpredictable nature of baseball’s player market and the value elite players hold.

Given this landscape, fans and analysts will continue watching how these transactions affect postseason runs, player legacies, and future trade strategies, especially as stars like Juan Soto and Rafael Devers continue to shape the decade’s narrative.