I will keep track of everything happening this month here.

Boston smartly extended their closer at bargain prices. Matt Barnes is from New England and was willing to take a hometown discount.

Pointless move by Atlanta, but a good one for the Chicago Cubs. Atlanta should just sell, but at least Chicago got something for free agent-to be Joc Pederson.

Atlanta continues to do pointless trades.

Good move by the Chicago White Sox. Lance Lynn should continue help stabilizing the rotation.

Good trade for Tampa Bay & Minnesota. Nelson Cruz improves Tampa Bay’s lineup and Minnesota needed to move a 41 year old free agent after the season when they’ll be missing the playoffs.

Strange trade that helps the New York Mets with rotation depth.

Pointless trade for San Diego & a bad return for Pittsburgh. So which one of San Diego’s overpaid players will give up their starting job to an underachieving Adam Frazier.

The Bronx Bombers added to their bullpen. Clay Holmes is a groundswell specialist and maybe will be worth the cost.

Did Oakland just get a new closer? Good trade for both Oakland and the Chicago Cubs and Andrew Chafin is now the best reliever in Oakland‘s bullpen.

Houston improved their bullpen and Seattle got worse. Kendall Graveman is going to help Houston, but Seattle basically got no help at all and just a utility hitter and a struggling reliever.

New York cut salary and Cincinnati probably didn’t really improve.

Seattle got an inning eater and Pittsburgh continues a much needed rebuild. Tyler Anderson won’t move the needle, but will help Seattle not be any worse at least.

Cincinnati continues to try to improve their bullpen.

Blockbuster swap. Oakland improved their outfield by bringing in Starling Marte to take over centerfield, but I don’t see it moving the needle for them much, as they won’t be able to extend him after another early playoff loss (if they even get there). Miami won the deal by trading a player that was too old to extend for a top prospect in Jesus Luzardo. Luzardo will either be an ace or a trade chip.

Houston continue to improve their bullpen. Miami logically moved on from Yimi Garcia, who is a free agent after the season.

Milwaukee improved their lineup. Eduardo Escobar will help them get closer to being legitimate contenders. It’s a good move for both sides.

The Bronx Bombers pulled off a stunner. Joey Gallo improves an already loaded lineup, that is too strikeout heavy. He’s a lefty bat though and they needed one. Gallo isn’t a free agent after the season, but he‘s too risky to extend and Texas weren’t going to contend next season.

Surprising trade between two division rivals. Cleveland rightly gave up on their season and moved on from free agent after the season Cesar Hernandez. Hernandez will fill-in at second base and is a solid though non-pennant deciding addition for the Chicago White Sox.

Toronto just got a new closer. Brad Hand isn’t having a good season but will help Toronto‘s bullpen, while Washington rightly sell. Toronto still won’t make it to the playoffs.

The two Chicago teams make a logical trade. The Cubs get a prospect for an upcoming free agent and the White Sox get bullpen help in Ryan Tepera.

Los Angeles made a questionable trade. Looking at Danny Duffy‘s shaky recent results and advanced metrics, not sure if it made as much sense for the Dodgers as it did for Kansas City, who can just bring him back in the offseason.

Bizarre trade between Tampa Bay and Seattle. Seattle likely got a new closer in Diego Castillo, which makes their previous Graveman trade look fine, but Tampa Bay weakened their bullpen for no reason.

Speaking of bizarre trades: why did the New York Yankees acquire Anthony Rizzo? He’s a lefty bat and his whole salary will be paid by the Chicago Cubs, but what about Luke Voit? Is he done for the season? Is he going to be traded in another trade? Chicago got prospects for a declining player who wanted too much money.

Talk about a blockbuster! Washington officially launch a rebuild by moving on from ace Max Scherzer and SS Trea Turner. While Scherzer is a free agent after the season and is a risky signing due to his age, Turner is in his prime and was only going to hit free agency after next season. Still, it was likely the right call due to their playoff chances going forward. They received some elite prospects back, with Keibert Ruiz likely taking over at catcher next season and Josiah Gray stepping into their rotation now and potentially becoming a cornerstone it in the future. Scherzer gives the Los Angeles Dodgers arguably the best pitching rotation in the game, though who knows if it will be enough for them to repeat as world champions. It’s also unclear if they’ll extend him. Turner is a great addition as he’s also a likely replacement for Corey Seager after this season. It’s unclear which position Turner will play this season though.

Boston likely upgraded at first base. It’s likely the position that Kyle Schwarber plays, unless they shuffle the outfield and have him in LF. Good move for Boston and the rebuilding Washington.

Washington’s fire sale continues as reliever Daniel Hudson moves on to San Diego in another good trade for both sides. Hudson should help San Diego’s bullpen, though he’s not going to change things much as far as deciding the division race and the pennant.

Decent bullpen depth move by Tampa Bay and Baltimore did fine too.

Solid depth move by Philly.

Toronto improved their rotation. Good move by Minnesota as they should rebuild and Toronto are better with Jose Berrios, though it won’t send them to the playoffs.

Milwaukee added bullpen depth in a solid deal.

Atlanta added OF depth & Miami added catching depth. OF Adam Duvall is a free agent after the season, so Miami had to move him. This way, they give their youngsters a chance to make the starting lineup going forward. He should be a good bench bat in Atlanta. Alex Jackson was a minor league C in Atlanta who washed out, he gives Miami the aforementioned catching depth.

Cleveland gave away LF Eddie Rosario to Atlanta. All that Atlanta had to give up is a veteran who is lucky to be on the bench: Pablo Sandoval. Atlanta has to be given credit for trying, but I don’t see them having much of a chance at the pennant, let alone the playoffs.

The Chicago teams pull off another blockbuster. Craig Kimbrel might not be a closer anymore, but he gives the White Sox the best 1-2 bullpen punch in the game. The Cubs rightly moved on from the free agent after the season. Nick Madrigal is a steep price to pay however, though the White Sox can control Kimbrel for next season too via a player option.

Big trade between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets. Javier Baez is a risky extension candidate, so it made sense for the rebuilding Cubs to move him. They received a weak prospect return however, even though they through in an inning-eater. The Mets get a SS fill-in for Francisco Lindor and a new 2B once Lindor is back from the IL. They can try to re-sign Baez, or let him walk as they have in-house replacements already. They also got a much needed inning-eater.

Pointless swap between two teams not going to the playoffs. Minnesota did better though as they have more control and a prospect.

Oakland got some depth as Washington continues to sell. Oakland still don’t look like contenders or even a likely playoff team.

Philly added a new closer. Good trade for the rebuilding Texas Rangers, but looking at their advanced metrics… they swapped SP’s with Kyle Gibson overachieved and Texas improved by getting a direct replacement in Spencer Howard, who might turn into an ace if he gets his walks under control. Philly should’ve just stuck with Howard, or acquired a better arm for him. Ian Kennedy is only an upgrade for their bullpen if his advanced metrics don’t finally catch up to him.

New York acquired pitching depth. Andrew Heaney will be a swing man when everyone is healthy. Probably pointless for New York, but good for the Los Angeles Angels.

Interesting trade between Cleveland and Houston. Houston now need a CF, though they get more bullpen help with Phil Maton. It made more sense for Cleveland, who now have more much-needed OF help and a direct replacement for Eddie Rosario in LF.

Toronto upgraded their bullpen. Joakim Soria is a solid arm, though he’s shaky and won’t move the needle. It was a logical move for Arizona however.

Miami continues to improve their catching depth in a solid trade for both teams.

The Chicago Cubs potentially ripped off San Diego in a minor trade. The price that San Diego paid was too high.

Washington continue to sell, while St. Louis continue doing pointless trades. Is Jon Lester supposed to send St. Louis to the playoffs?!

Boston got bullpen “help”. Hansel Robles has been pretty bad lately, so Minnesota getting anything in return is a win for them. They got actual help in this minor trade with Pittsburgh.

Depth trade between Tampa Bay and Cleveland.

San Francisco got a bullpen arm. Solid trade for them and the Los Angeles Angels.

Pointless trade for Philly but a good one for Baltimore.

Atlanta improved their bullpen for this season and next. They got Richard Rodriguez for little as Pittsburgh should’ve got more in return. Pittsburgh had to trade him now though, as he was hitting free agency after next season and they’re not going to the playoffs next season either.

San Francisco got a new LF and it’s Kris Bryant, who will struggle there and who the Chicago Cubs smartly traded. Bryant is going to be a bad contract this winter.

Atlanta got another OF. Kansas City rightly moved on from Jorge Soler, who due to his bad defense should be on the bench in Atlanta, who shouldn’t have wasted prospects on him due to that.