What happened: Tampa Bay constructed much of its core through trades, with Milwaukee leaning on deals for depth around homegrown talent. Washington sees that path as relevant after moving major-league pieces at the deadline with sustainability in mind.

Why it matters: Small-market clubs stay in contention by converting approaching free agents into controllable contributors rather than losing them for nothing. Milwaukee turned former pitchers into postseason pieces such as Joey Ortiz and Robert Gasser, while Tampa Bay added contributors such as Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz.

What to watch: Watch whether Washington continues to shop veterans for controllable talent in the Toboni era.