After a flurry of trade activity throughout the weekend into Monday evening, MLB’s trade deadline has officially passed. There were a handful of deals completed involving star players, most notably the Tarik Skubal blockbuster between the Tigers and Dodgers, as well as the Red Sox and Orioles’ deal for Adley Rutschman. While most contending teams made some moves, there were a handful of clubs that failed to address some glaring needs. Whether due to the way the market played out, an unwillingness to cough up the pieces necessary to get a deal done, or having their preferred target swept up by another club, there were quite a few teams that failed to address particular roster weaknesses. We’re going to look at some of the moves fans were hoping to see that never came to fruition, and add some insight into why those teams were unable to pull off a trade at the buzzer. Phillies failed to land a starting pitcher or an outfielderThe Phillies managed to acquire one of baseball’s best pure hitters in Luis Arraez, but the team left two of its more glaring needs unaddressed. Philadelphia went into the trade deadline seeking a starting pitcher and an outfielder, but weren’t able to secure either. Instead, the Arraez deal resulted in a major defensive overhaul, with multiple players set to change positions for a club that’s already the worst defensive team in the league. Now, they’ll have Bryson Stott moving to third base, Alec Bohm moving to first base and Bryce Harper returning to the outfield for the first time since 2022. Philadelphia also fell short in its effort to fortify its starting rotation. Behind Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo, the Phillies haven’t had much success there. Aaron Nola, who owns a 5.55 ERA and has surrendered 28 home runs in 23 starts, is a far cry from the Cy Young candidate he was during his prime. And Andrew Painter hasn’t been sharp in his first MLB season. Failing to address the rotation could prove a costly mistake by the Phillies as they aim to secure a postseason spot in a crowded National League wild-card race. Braves didn’t acquire a shortstop, only moderately added to pitching rotationThe Braves were expected to be in the market for a shortstop and starting pitching. They added Tyler Mahle, though he is more of a depth piece than a major upgrade to the rotation. Reports indicate Atlanta was inquiring about Jacob deGrom, but the former Cy Young winner made clear he wasn’t looking to leave the Rangers. In the end, they failed to make any meaningful additions to their pitching rotation, which has been beset by injuries. As for shortstops, there weren’t too many options available on the market, and the team is expected to roll with Jim Jarvis and Ha-Seong Kim, the latter of whom was just activated from the injured list. Jarvis, 25, has been serviceable at shortstop since being called up in June—in 26 games, he has a .701 OPS with one home run and 10 RBIs—while Kim has been testing the limits of the term unplayable. In 27 games, he has just five hits (.068 batting average) and a .239 OPS. For a team with legitimate World Series aspirations, failing to find a more productive shortstop is an embarrassingly familiar issue in Atlanta since Dansby Swanson left town.The Yankees put faith in Austin Wells by not trading for a catcher. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectYankees made moves, but left the catcher position untouchedThe Yankees acquired a pair of hitters to buff up a lineup that’s been lackluster since Aaron Judge landed on the IL, but their biggest and most obvious need was behind the plate, and they failed to address it entirely. The team was reportedly in the mix for Adley Rutschman but balked at the idea of competing against the Red Sox’ gigantic trade package that landed them the standout catcher. Other potential fits, such as Hunter Goodman, likely would’ve required a significant outlay it seems Brian Cashman wasn’t interested in ponying up. Ryan Jeffers was another candidate the Yankees were exploring but the Twins ended up being buyers at the deadline. Tyler Stephenson also made sense as a fit, but it’s not clear how far into talks the Yankees got with the Reds. With no new reinforcements at the position, New York is putting its faith into Austin Wells, who has been solid defensively but one of MLB’s worst-performing hitters. The team will have to hope that Heliot Ramos and Luis Garcia Jr. provide enough of a spark to the lineup to overshadow the lack of production the Yankees have gotten from Wells, J.C. Escarra and Ali Sanchez. Brewers didn’t trade for Tarik Skubal or a power batThe Brewers made an inter-division trade with the Cardinals to acquire starting pitcher Dustin May and reliever JoJo Romero, but their biggest need was a power hitter to fortify their lineup, and they were unsuccessful in acquiring one. No team in MLB has hit fewer home runs than Milwaukee (101), and although they’ve had plenty of success without a big power threat in the lineup, adding a slugger to the mix should’ve been a priority. The Brewers still rank fifth in runs scored, so their small-ball approach has worked just fine, but adding a power bat to buff the middle of their lineup would’ve been a wise move for the team, especially in October when a single swing of the bat can turn a game on its head. Considering they fell short in their pursuit of Tarik Skubal, opting to preserve the prospects in their farm system rather than make an aggressive move to improve their championship odds, it was a disappointing deadline for the Brewers, who watched the Dodgers get much better while only marginally improving themselves. More MLB from Sports IllustratedAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow