We’ve hit July and are less than a month from the trade deadline, so it’s an appropriate time for MLBTR’s first pass at which players could be on the move. While we’ve probably already seen the year’s biggest trade with the Rafael Devers stunner, the number of teams on the postseason bubble will make the next few weeks particularly interesting. Trade volume tends not to ramp up until the second half of the month — both to allow fringe contenders more time to evaluate their playoff chances and because clubs primarily remain focused on the July 13-14 amateur draft.
As is the case for all our trade candidate lists, we’re trying to strike a balance between the player’s appeal and the likelihood that they’ll move. This isn’t purely a ranking of trade value or talent. There are players in the back half of the list who’d vault to the top if it were clear that they’d be moved. It’s an inherently subjective exercise.
This is a league-wide summary, but we’re also drilling down more specifically into each team with our new Deadline Outlook series for Front Office subscribers. We’ve already covered most of the clear buyers and sellers in that series and will continue checking off the bubble teams over the next couple weeks.
With that out of the way, onto the list! We’ll update and quite likely expand the rankings at least once or twice as the deadline draws near.
Stats are through play on July 2.
1. Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins ($17MM in 2025; $17MM in 2026, $21MM club option/$2MM buyout for 2027)
As a former Cy Young winner signed affordably on a rebuilding team that traded a dozen players last July, Alcantara has stood as the most prominent and obvious trade candidate for much of the season. A few factors have gummed the situation up more than expected. First and foremost, Alcantara not only hasn’t looked like his former self for much of the season — he simply hasn’t been a very good pitcher. The velocity is still strong, but Alcantara carried an 8.47 ERA into the month of June. His strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates all went in the wrong direction, relative to past levels.
Alcantara looked to be righting the ship when he rattled off four starts/23 innings with a 2.74 ERA and improved rate stats. He followed that encouraging stretch with a seven-run shellacking at the hands of the D-backs. Now, on top of his inconsistency, Miami recently won eight straight games. The Fish are still seven under .500, but they’ve graduated from “surefire seller” to merely “likely seller.” Alcantara is simultaneously the most talented and enigmatic pitcher on this list.
2. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pirates ($15MM in 2025; $16.5MM in 2026, $18MM in 2027, $20MM in 2028)
A steady, mid-rotation workhorse who’s signed to a reasonable contract, Keller’s name has come up in connection to the Cubs and will surely garner interest from virtually every pitching-hungry team on the market. He’s working with a diminished strikeout rate this season but has missed more bats over the past two months (20.3 K%) than he did early in the year (16.8 K% through May 2).
The Pirates don’t need to move Keller, but they’re deep in young pitching and thin on young, impact position players. Flipping Keller for an interesting bat(s) and then reallocating his salary to a mid-range free agent has some merits. If the Pirates do move him, they’ll probably be seeking MLB-ready help, as the current front office regime is in year six of an increasingly interminable rebuilding process.
3. David Bednar, RHP, Pirates ($5.9MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2026)
Bednar struggled in 2024, then pitched so poorly to begin the 2025 season that the Pirates optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis. A few weeks later, he was back on the big league roster and back to peak form. Since his mid-April recall, Bednar has pitched 28 2/3 innings with a 1.88 ERA, a mammoth 36.6% strikeout rate and a 6.3% walk rate. He’s going to get a raise to the $8-10MM range in his final arbitration year, and the Pirates would probably prefer not to pay that, even for a hometown fan favorite. Ownership has reportedly intervened in past Bednar trade talks, but that doesn’t seem likely to be the case this time around — not in the wake of his roller-coaster calendar year and with just one additional (and expensive) season of club control remaining.
4. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/DH, Orioles ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
O’Hearn has gotten better every year since being traded to Baltimore in 2023 and now stands as one of the best bats not just on this list but in the entire American League. He’s hitting .295/.383/.471 (44% better than average, per wRC+) with 11 homers, 10 doubles, an 11% walk rate and just a 16.3% strikeout rate. O’Hearn is far better against righties than lefties. A contender with a righty-hitting platoon option could benefit greatly from plugging O’Hearn into the heart of its order.
5. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Pirates ($5.25MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
In 2022, it was Tyler Anderson. In 2023, it was Rich Hill. In 2024, Martin Perez. This year’s veteran Pirates lefty du jour is the 34-year-old Heaney, who’s been an effective innings eater at the back of their rotation. Heaney’s velocity, strikeout rate and swinging-strike rate are all down relative to recent years, but he’s a veteran lefty who can solidify the fourth or fifth spot in a contender’s rotation before moving to the bullpen in the postseason. The Bucs have scaled back his slider usage and have Heaney throwing a sinker more frequently, so perhaps another club thinks that there’s more upside to miss bats if he reverts to his former usage rates. Heaney posted a 12% swinging-strike rate and fanned 23% of his opponents just last year in Texas.
6. Ryan McMahon, 3B, Rockies ($12MM in 2025; $16MM annually in 2026-27)
The Rockies tend to resist selling their best players, particularly when they have multiple years of club control remaining. McMahon is no exception. They passed on truly making him available last year despite interest, then watched as McMahon torched his trade value over the remainder of the season and in the early portion of 2025.
McMahon got hot in early May, however, and while he’s slumped a bit over the past couple weeks, he looks a lot like the classic version of himself. Dating back to May 1, he’s slashing .258/.349/.478 with 10 homers, nine doubles and a triple. His strikeout rate in that span is almost 30%, but contact has long been an issue for the 30-year-old, so that’s nothing new. This looks like vintage McMahon — 20-homer pop with plus defense at the hot corner and plenty of strikeouts. We can never accurately predict what the Rockies will do, but if their current 37-win pace can’t convince them a change in approach is needed, perhaps nothing will. McMahon should be available this time around, and Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported yesterday that the Rox are more willing to listen than they have been previously.
7. Jeffrey Springs, LHP, Athletics ($10.5MM annually in 2025-26; $15MM club option/$750K buyout for 2027)
The A’s traded for Springs over the winter, hoping they were buying low on a lefty who looked to have a quiet breakout with the 2022-23 Rays before blowing out his elbow. Instead, he’s pitched like a fourth starter. Springs’ velocity is down a mile per hour, and his strikeout and walk rates have both trended the wrong way since returning from surgery. He’s sitting on a 4.30 ERA but has looked better of late. Even if he’s only a fourth starter, his contract isn’t bad, and there could be upside for better performance as he further distances himself from surgery.
8. Cedric Mullins, OF, Orioles ($8.725MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
Mullins had a huge April but is hitting just .171/.215/.336 in 164 plate appearances since that time. His season-long batting line is down to right about league average. Mullins’ defensive ratings have dipped in recent years, but he’s one of the few center field options who could feasibly be on the trade market this summer. He entered the season as a pretty clear qualifying offer candidate, but if his current struggles continue, the O’s might not chance that — which only makes the notion of a trade more compelling.
9. Dennis Santana, RHP, Pirates ($1.4MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)
When the Pirates claimed Santana last June, few took notice. Jokes were made. Santana was a journeyman right-hander who’d ping-ponged around the league. The Pirates were looking to emerge from a lengthy rebuild and plucked a cheap power arm with an inconsistent track record off waivers.
Pittsburgh’s claim of Santana is a reminder that we never really know how even the most mundane transaction will pan out in this game. Since landing with the Pirates, Santana has pitched 80 2/3 innings with a 2.02 ERA, 25.5% strikeout rate, 5.6% walk rate and 41.3% ground-ball rate. He’s averaging 95.2 mph on his heater and proving near impossible to square up (86.1 mph average exit velocity, 4.3% barrel rate, 29.8% hard-hit rate). His lack of track record kept his arbitration price tag low. Santana now looks like a quality high-leverage arm whose salary amounts to relative peanuts. He has another season of club control remaining and probably won’t top $4MM. Nearly any bullpen-needy team would be happy to have him, and since he’s effectively found money with minimal control remaining, the Pirates should be more than willing to move him.
10. Jake Bird, RHP, Rockies (pre-arbitration in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)
Bird has worked to change the shape and speed of his slider in recent years, and he’s now throwing it more than either his sinker or curveball. The result is 48 innings with a terrific 2.63 ERA (2.96 SIERA). Bird has whiffed 29.1% of his opponents against a 9.5% walk rate. He’s “only” averaging 94.3 mph on his sinker, so he’s not necessarily a power arm by today’s standards, but he’s been extremely effective. Bird won’t reach arbitration until this offseason and is under club control through 2028. This is precisely the type of player the Rockies have resisted trading at peak value in the past. Will they change direction this time around? They should, given both the state of the organization and the fact that relief pitchers are notoriously volatile.
11. Seth Lugo, RHP, Royals ($15MM in 2025; $15MM player option for 2026)
Lugo would have a case for the #1 spot on the list if he were a lock to be traded. He’s coming off a Cy Young runner-up finish and carries a 2.21 ERA through 15 starts this year. While he doesn’t have huge swing-and-miss stuff, he has proven capable of excelling as a starter and would fit well as the #2 or #3 pitcher in a postseason rotation. The Royals are hopeful of avoiding a sale, but they’ve dropped six games below .500 after a terrible June and are running out of time to get back on track.
The contract structure is the complicating factor. Lugo’s $15MM salary is a bargain for a pitcher of his caliber. He has a matching player option for 2026 that he’d almost certainly decline so long as he finishes this year healthy. That’s pure downside for an acquiring team, though. If Lugo gets injured in the final two months, they’re stuck paying that. He’d otherwise be able to walk next winter. Teams tend to be reluctant to acquire players whose deals have opt-out clauses, but there’ll be such a demand for starting pitching that someone should be willing to roll the dice and hope he stays healthy. They’ll want to price that downside into whatever they offer the Royals, which could make it tricky to find an agreeable prospect package.
12. Marcell Ozuna, DH, Braves ($16MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
It doesn’t seem as though the Braves will be all that keen on trading players controlled beyond the season, but Ozuna is a free agent who can’t be tendered a qualifying offer because he already received one earlier in his career. The 34-year-old slugger’s power output is down this year, but he’s still ripped 11 homers en route to a .242/.370/.389 batting line (116 wRC+). This year’s 16.7% walk rate is a career best, and Ozuna’s batted-ball metrics on Statcast remain excellent.
13. Michael Soroka, RHP, Nationals ($9MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
Soroka signed a one-year, $9MM free agent contract to work out of Washington’s rotation. He missed a month early in the season with a biceps strain but has been healthy since the second week of May. A 4.70 ERA through 59 2/3 innings isn’t eye-opening, but he’s striking out more than 26% of opponents. Soroka posted big strikeout numbers in a relief role for the White Sox late last season, so he could be a target for teams seeking rotation or bullpen help.
14. Germán Márquez, RHP, Rockies ($10MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
After an ugly start to his season, Márquez is back on track. He’s held opponents to a 2.70 ERA over his past eight starts — a sample of 43 1/3 innings — although that includes six unearned runs at the hands of the Dodgers on June 24. He’s fanned 20.9% of his opponents and issued walks at a sharp 5.8% clip in that time. Márquez isn’t missing as many bats, generating as many grounders or throwing quite as hard as he did at his peak, but he’s an affordable 30-year-old righty with a nice track record who could potentially benefit from finally getting out of Coors Field. At his best, in 2018, Márquez posted a 3.77 ERA (3.10 SIERA) and fanned more than 28% of his opponents. He’s probably not going to get back to that level, but there’s some track record and a bit of upside here.
15. Aaron Civale, RHP, White Sox ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end; Brewers covering portion of the salary)
Civale was bounced from the Brewers’ rotation earlier this summer when they called up top prospect Jacob Misiorowski. Given that he’s a career-long starter and impending free agent, he requested a trade, and the Brewers/White Sox accommodated him. The South Siders are surely hoping to be able to flip Civale for more than they gave up (non-tender candidate Andrew Vaughn). He’s been a passable if unspectacular rotation option since returning from an early IL stint, logging a 3.86 ERA, 17.5% strikeout rate and 9.7% walk rate in seven starts (35 innings). A team just looking for a competent starter to keep them in the game every fifth day could flip a nominal prospect to the White Sox to get something done.
16. Adrian Houser, RHP, White Sox ($1.35MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
Speaking of White Sox starters and nominal returns, Houser has done well to rebuild some value after a brutal season with the Mets. The longtime Brewers hurler signed a big league deal in late May after being granted his release by the Rangers. He’s responded with seven starts and 42 2/3 innings of 1.90 ERA ball. Houser’s 18.1% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 46.8% grounder rate don’t support that success, which is propped up by a sky-high 87% strand rate that he won’t sustain. That said, he’s averaging a career-best 95 mph on his four-seamer and getting good results on a curveball he’s throwing at a career-high clip, so there are some tangible changes to support an ERA in the low 4.00s.
17. Jesus Sanchez, OF, Marlins ($4.5MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2027)
At $4.5MM, Sanchez is the highest-paid position player on Miami’s roster (not counting the dead money owed to Avisail Garcia). He’s a former top prospect who has settled in as a league-average right fielder. Sanchez has double-digit home run power and serviceable but hardly elite on-base skills. It’s tough to sell him having a much higher ceiling as he nears his 28th birthday, but he’s a straightforward target for teams that need to raise the floor in the corner outfield. He’s still reasonably affordable and controllable for two years after this one, though his expected arbitration salary may climb to a point beyond what teams are willing to pay by 2027.
18. Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals ($6MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
The Nats didn’t trade Finnegan last summer, perhaps in part because of some struggles leading up to the trade deadline. He was non-tendered after an awful second half but re-signed on a one-year deal and has been solid in 2025. Finnegan’s velocity and strikeout rate are down, but he’s still sporting a 2.61 ERA and 18 saves on the season. The dip in strikeouts and a poor 8.7% swinging-strike rate are going to impact his trade value, but the Nats should be able to flip him for a decent return.
19. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Nationals ($10.3MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)
A steadily productive first baseman for the Rangers from 2021-24 when he batted a combined .274/.359/.432 (124 wRC+), Lowe has taken a significant step back following an offseason trade to the Nationals. He’s shown signs of life recently, swatting four homers and tallying six multi-hit games since June 17. If Lowe can maintain this hot streak for another four weeks, he’ll be able to largely attribute his sub-par production to an anomalous six-week stretch from early May to mid-June. There’s a nice track record here, and Lowe should be popular in a market that’s light on impact bats.
20. Zack Littell, RHP, Rays ($5.72MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
The Rays are in the thick of the AL East race and are not going to be true “sellers.” They never close the door on creative trade scenarios, though, and they may feel they can part with Littell without dealing a huge hit to their playoff odds. He’s an elite strike-thrower who carries a 3.61 ERA over 17 starts. Most teams probably view him as a low-end #3 or solid fourth starter. The Rays have a strong rotation and still have a shot to welcome Shane McClanahan back in the final month or two. Littell probably walks in free agency next offseason. Cashing him in for a controllable asset on a pitching-starved market while adding elsewhere on the roster would fit the Rays’ usual operating procedure.
21. Luis Severino, RHP, Athletics ($15MM in 2025; $20MM in 2026, $22MM player option for 2027)
The A’s brought Severino to West Sacramento on a three-year deal, and it seems like all parties involved might prefer a mulligan. Severino has recently been outspoken about the unfavorable home conditions at Sutter Health Park, where he’s pitched to a 6.79 ERA compared to a 3.04 mark on the road. Trading Severino won’t be an easy feat. The A’s overpaid to get him in the first place, and Severino is now sitting on a 5.09 ERA with a 15.4% strikeout rate that ranks 68th among 70 qualified major league starting pitchers. On top of that, he has an opt-out following the 2026 season.
22. Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox ($15MM in 2025; $20MM club options/$2MM buyout for 2026-27)
The Sox have been hopeful that the oft-injured Robert will return to his brilliant 2023 form and build up some trade value, but he keeps trending in the opposite direction. He’s still just 27 years old, but dating back to Opening Day 2024, Robert is lugging a .209/.275/.354 batting line around with him. He landed on the injured list with a hamstring strain over the weekend. He’s still a plus baserunner with strong defensive tools, but what once looked like a pair of bargain $20MM options on his contract now look unlikely to be exercised. The Sox are willing to pay down some of this year’s $15MM salary to facilitate a trade, and that might be their only true means of extracting any sort of return.
23. Andrew Benintendi, OF, White Sox ($16.5MM annually in 2025-26; $14.5MM in 2027)
He’s slumping a bit recently, but Benintendi has quietly returned to his ways as a productive hitter since last June. Over his past 557 plate appearances, Benintendi is batting .247/.315/.468 with 27 home runs. He’s been a power-over-hit corner outfielder with deteriorating defensive value for more than a calendar year now. No one is taking the full freight of Benintendi’s remaining contract, but he’s a more productive hitter than Robert and the Sox are willing to eat money to trade them both. Would another team bite if the Sox ate the rest of this year’s salary and paid Benintendi down to $5-7MM per season in 2026-27?
24. Josh Naylor, 1B, D-backs ($10.9MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
Naylor, who clubbed 31 homers for the 2024 Guardians, is striking out at a career-low 13% clip. He’s ripped 10 homers and already tied a career-high with 10 stolen bases. Naylor walks less than O’Hearn but has shown slightly more pop and makes even more contact. They’re comparable players, however, and Naylor’s .304/.359/.474 batting line (130 wRC+) would be a jolt to any team seeking help at first base or designated hitter. The D-backs aren’t selling just yet, but they’ve lost Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk for the season, while Corbin Carroll (broken wrist) and Gabriel Moreno (broken finger) are also on the shelf. Their performance over the next two weeks is crucial.
25. Eugenio Suárez, 3B, D-backs ($15MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
Suárez has continually made the Mariners rue parting ways with him following the 2023 season. Faced with a reduced payroll, Seattle shipped him to Arizona and has seen him shake off a poor start to the 2024 campaign to post a combined .255/.320/.502 slash with the Snakes. He’s already belted 26 home runs this season. Suárez would be one of the prizes of the rental market if the Diamondbacks sell and could both solidify third base and fill a vital heart-of-the-order need for contenders seeking third base help.
26. Zac Gallen, RHP, D-backs ($13.5MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
The 2025 season wasn’t supposed to go like this for Gallen, an impending free agent who finished top-five in Cy Young balloting in both 2022 and ’23 before posting a 3.65 ERA in an injury-shortened 2024 campaign. His run of excellent results has been snapped, decisively, by a 5.45 ERA on the season. The quality start he tossed last time out was just his sixth in 18 tries. Gallen hasn’t lost much velocity, but his command has eroded both in terms of walk rate and precision within the zone, leading to a glut of home runs. The track record is so good (3.29 ERA in 815 innings from 2019-24) that Gallen could quickly rebuild some trade value with a few more good outings. Of course, the D-backs will hope those good outings come around and propel them back into contention.
27. Edward Cabrera, RHP, Marlins ($1.95MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)
Cabrera is a former top pitching prospect whose MLB career has been inconsistent. He has shown big stuff and bat-missing ability but had been plagued by well below-average command for his first few seasons. He’s showing signs of putting it together at age 27, turning in a 3.41 ERA through 71 1/3 innings. Even that is weighed down by a pair of April clunkers. Cabrera has allowed two or fewer earned runs in nine of his past 10 starts and carries a 2.05 mark with a manageable 9% walk rate since the beginning of May. The Marlins cheaply control him for three seasons beyond this one, so they’re not facing the same financial pressure to cash him in as they are with Alcantara. This may come down to whether the front office genuinely believes he’s amidst a breakout or feels he’s pitching at an unsustainable level and would rather look to sell high.
28. Mike Tauchman, OF, White Sox ($1.95MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)
A low-cost pickup of Tauchman after he was non-tendered by the Cubs has proven wise for the South Siders. He has had two IL stints due to a strain in his right hamstring but has produced a .262/.350/.443 slash in 140 plate appearances when healthy. Tauchman has a .358 OBP in nearly 900 plate appearances dating back to 2023, and he’s been productive against lefties and righties alike.
29. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP, Orioles ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
The hard-throwing Dominguez is sporting a career-high 32.4% strikeout rate but also a career-worst 14.4% walk rate. He’s also sporting a 3.15 ERA — his third sub-4.00 ERA in the past four seasons. Dominguez has a career 3.53 ERA with 39 saves and 69 holds.
30. Gregory Soto, LHP, Orioles ($5.35MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
Another of Baltimore’s impending free agents, Soto is a former All-Star closer who is both tantalizing and frustrating. He has rare velocity from the left side, averaging around 97 MPH on both his sinker and four-seam fastball. The command comes and goes, but he has punched out nearly 28% of opposing hitters and has pitched well since a rough April. He carries a 3.72 ERA with a near-31% strikeout rate in 19 1/3 innings since the start of May.
31. Charlie Morton, SP, Orioles ($15MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)
The 41-year-old Morton had a horrendous start to his Baltimore tenure, giving up 29 runs across 26 2/3 innings through the end of April. That ensures he’s going to have a poor overall stat line and obscures that he has pitched quite well for the last six weeks. Morton found his footing amidst a brief stint in the bullpen in May. He drew back into the rotation on May 26 and has posted a 2.90 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate over his last six starts. He’s still sitting in the 94-95 MPH range on his fastball and has a near-11% swinging strike rate. The season-long 5.63 ERA is still ugly, but a strong July would lend more credence to the idea that he’s back to his mid-rotation form after a fluke month.
32. Andrew Kittredge, RHP, Orioles ($9MM in 2025; $9MM club option/$1MM buyout for 2026)
Kittredge missed two months due to a knee injury but has fired 18 solid innings since his debut. His 4.50 ERA is pedestrian, but he’s fanned 23.8% of his opponents against a 7.5% walk rate. As is often the case for relievers with small samples of work, a significant portion of the damage against Kittredge came in one appearance wherein he served up four runs to the Rays. Kittredge has a 2.66 ERA in exactly 200 innings since 2020, and he’s controllable into 2026 via a reasonably priced club option.
33. Ramon Laureano, OF, Orioles ($4MM in 2025; $6.5MM club option for 2026)
Laureano has been the inverse of Mullins in 2025; after an awful first month, he’s been absolutely on fire, slashing .313/.393/.550 over his past 150 plate appearances. It’s his most productive stretch since returning from an 80-game PED ban in 2021. Laureano has far better career numbers versus lefties, but he’s been crushing right-handed pitching as well in 2025.
34. Adolis Garcia, OF, Rangers ($9.25MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2026)
Garcia’s production has declined sharply since his 2023 postseason heroics. He hit .224/.284/.400 a year ago and is down to a .232/.276/.393 slash with 10 homers this season. He’d need a big second half to convince the Rangers to tender him an eight-figure contract for his final season of arbitration. If they expect to move on during the offseason regardless, Texas could shop Garcia as a change-of-scenery candidate. That’d be true even if they don’t commit to selling, as a trade would open more spending room beneath the luxury tax threshold as they try to inject some life into a mediocre offense.
35. Anthony Bender, RHP, Marlins ($1.42MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2027)
Bender’s strikeout rate has cratered from 25.9% in 2024 to just over 18% this season. His fastball, which averaged 98 mph back in 2022, is down to “just” 95.9 mph in 2025. Those red flags notwithstanding, Bender touts a 2.19 ERA in 37 frames for the Fish. He has a career 3.12 mark in 170 1/3 innings, and he’s controlled an additional two years beyond the current season.
36. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Rays ($3.82MM in 2025; $8MM club option/$1MM buyout for 2026)
Fairbanks is having another solid season as Tampa Bay’s top high-leverage arm. He owns a 2.45 ERA with 15 saves in 17 opportunities across 34 appearances. He’s getting grounders at a 50% clip but has seen his once excellent strikeout rate fall to a career-low 21.2%. That’s not much of a concern while he’s playing on a bargain salary that checks in below $4MM. Fairbanks’ deal contains a more expensive club option for next year. He has already boosted its value to $8MM and is trending towards pushing it into eight figures based on his appearance and games finished totals. That’d be a heavy price for the Rays to pay a reliever. An offseason trade may be more likely with the team fighting for a playoff spot, but Tampa Bay probably wouldn’t close the door on a deadline deal for the right price.
37. Jarren Duran, OF, Red Sox ($3.85MM in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)
Duran is a season removed from a top-10 MVP finish when he hit .285/.342/.492 while appearing in 160 games. His numbers are down this year, as he carries a league-average .253/.312/.409 slash in nearly 400 plate appearances. Duran almost never misses a game and has 20-homer upside. He’s an excellent baserunner who has shown the ability to play a plus left field — though the defensive metrics differ on his performance this season. The optics of trading him within six weeks of dealing Devers would be terrible. Still, the Red Sox recently added top prospect Roman Anthony to a heavily left-handed outfield. They could get a haul for Duran at three and a half seasons of control.
38. Wilyer Abreu, OF, Red Sox (pre-arb in 2025, arb-eligible through 2029)
The same logic about Boston’s outfield applies to Abreu. He hasn’t shown quite the ceiling that Duran did in 2024 but he’s having the better ’25 season of the two. Abreu is already at a career-high 17 homers with a .261/.329/.506 line in 76 games. Most of that has come in a platoon capacity, as he hasn’t had much of a chance to improve upon his lifetime .198/.274/.302 slash against left-handed pitching. Abreu is still a year from arbitration and controllable for four seasons beyond this one. The Sox would demand a significant return even if he’s more of a strong-side platoon bat than a true All-Star caliber everyday player.
39. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pirates ($12MM in 2025; $14MM in 2026, $15MM per year from 2027-30 with $2MM buyout on 2031 club option)
Reynolds is only two seasons into a franchise-record seven-year, $100MM contract extension. He’s having a down year, hitting .237/.301/.393 with 10 homers in what would easily be the worst 162-game season of his career. Reynolds’ batted ball metrics are still impressive, though, and there’d certainly be teams willing to bet on the track record. If another team is willing to absorb most or all of the contract, would the Pirates be willing to sell low to clear the money? They’re reportedly only making Paul Skenes and franchise legend Andrew McCutchen truly untouchable, but this would be another blow to a lineup that already can’t score.
40. Oneil Cruz, OF, Pirates (pre-arb in 2025, arb-eligible through 2028)
Pittsburgh’s toolsy center fielder was also notably excluded from the reported list of Pirates’ untouchables. That doesn’t make a trade likely, but there’ll certainly be teams that try to pull him from Pittsburgh. Cruz’s defensive miscues and big strikeout totals are frustrating, but he brings as much raw power as anyone this side of Aaron Judge. He’s on pace to surpass 40 stolen bases and could approach or exceed 30 homers in a relative down season. He’s playing for barely more than the league minimum and controllable for three seasons after this one.
Honorable Mentions
Angels: Tyler Anderson, LHP; Kenley Jansen, RHP; Yoan Moncada, IF; Luis Rengifo, IF
Athletics: Luis Urias, 2B
Braves: Raisel Iglesias, RHP; Sean Murphy, C
Cardinals: Erick Fedde, RHP; Ryan Helsley, RHP; Steven Matz, LHP; Miles Mikolas, RHP
Diamondbacks: Jalen Beeks, LHP; Merrill Kelly, RHP; Shelby Miller, RHP
Guardians: Austin Hedges, C; Jakob Junis, RHP; Carlos Santana, 1B; Paul Sewald, RHP; Lane Thomas, OF
Marlins: Calvin Faucher, RHP; Nick Fortes, C; Ronny Henriquez, RHP; Cal Quantrill, RHP
Nationals: Amed Rosario, IF
Orioles: Gary Sanchez, C
Pirates: Bailey Falter, LHP Caleb Ferguson, LHP; Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B; Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS
Rangers: Shawn Armstrong, RHP; Patrick Corbin, LHP; Jonah Heim, C; Kyle Higashioka, C; Luke Jackson, RHP; Chris Martin, RHP; Hoby Milner, LHP
Rays: Christopher Morel, LF; Taylor Walls, SS
Reds: Austin Hays, OF; Gavin Lux, INF/OF; Nick Martinez, RHP; Emilio Pagan, RHP; Taylor Rogers, LHP; Brady Singer, RHP; Brent Suter, LHP
Red Sox: Walker Buehler, RHP; Aroldis Chapman, LHP; Lucas Giolito, RHP
Rockies: Thairo Estrada, 2B; Ryan Feltner, RHP
Royals: Carlos Estevez, RHP; Jonathan India, INF/OF; Michael Lorenzen, RHP; John Schreiber, RHP
Twins: Harrison Bader, OF; Willi Castro, INF/OF; Danny Coulombe, LHP; Ty France, 1B; Chris Paddack, RHP
Currently on the injured list: Miguel Andujar, 3B/OF (Athletics); Zach Eflin, RHP (Orioles); Ryan Mountcastle, 1B (Orioles); Tyler Mahle, RHP (Rangers); Jon Gray (Rangers); Chas McCormick, OF (Astros)
So basically the Pirates entire bullpen?
And the top of their lineup as well.
Surprised IKF wasn’t top 40. Guess he’s not a big enough hitter to make the list but he’s up there with Heaney in terms of most likely to be traded
I think he would be excellent for a team wanting a guy that can play a lot of spots on the field and show some leadership skills.
IKF and Ferguson are more likely to be moved than Cruz or Reynolds.
Buyer beware on Poop the Bednar
I can’t fathom being a Pirates fan. Never ending rebuild continues….White Sox and Rockies a close 2nd but at least they somewhat try (from an afar observer) Marlins in the same group as well I guess.
They try, you really want to call it that? White Sox used to spend money and stopped. Could have easily signed a few players for the lineup or pen, even to flip at the deadline. Rockies are a joke. They’ve practically given up roster building. Pirates are in a weird in between situation but look better than those two.
Sox stopped spending to start another rebuild. You don’t keep pumping in $140M/yr into a rebuild project.
But I’ll agree they’re a joke because when the time came to add a big name FA or two to round out the roster, they instead overspent on a bullpen when relievers are notoriously year-to-year, and got a big name coach who was so out of touch that he lost the players within a year. Followed it up with one of the worst coaches I’ve ever seen in Grifol. It was like a Masterclass in how to wreck a locker room and stomp on player morale. But that’s the joke here, not the idea of no longer spending when they start another rebuild.
Rockies have NEVER rebuilt. They are like a bicycle with 2 flat tires still being ridden!!
I’m a Pirates fan. I can walk to the ballpark from my house. I go to 30+ games per year. How do we cope? Alcohol mostly.
Bullpen is finally solid, let’s rip it apart.
But honestly I’d trade one of Bednar/Santana, not both. I wonder if any team would take on Holderman as a reclamation project? Waiting to hear him just being shut down at this point.
I think the usual thinking is that if you can get something for relievers (if you are a cost-cutting addict) than you go for it. Unless they are phenomenal, you won’t get much either.
Good relievers like Bednar and Santana will bring a solid return.
Hell, we’ll take him in Milwaukee! That’s what we do!
Pitchers lower their ERA more coming from any team to Milwaukee more than any other team in baseball.
So Bednar as our 7th inning man or Santana with Holderman? I mean, we have a ton of power arms in the minors, but an abundance of riches is never a problem.
Just gotta wait for all the young bats to come up!
Basically the entire pirates team is up for discussion
Right! Which means there are about 5 guys teams might be interested in because the rest absolutely suck.
And lineup outside of like 2-3 guys.
Only Ben Cherington could screw this one up
Michael Soroka stinks.
So does Ryan O’Hearn! He’s got 30 RBIs and had a .606 OPS in June. It’s a really weird list, for sure.
Those lack of RBI’s say more about the team than him. He’s hitting over 290 and batting cleanup.
Batting avg and batting cleanup. How quaint
Thanks for your contributions. How cute.
I would say he’s more mid than stinks. While I think he is too far up on the list, he is an intriguing piece IMHO. His FIP is around that of a not great #3, decent #4 starter, his strikeout numbers are pretty good. His WHIP is actually pretty impressive (for whatever that’s worth.) I think he is the type of dude that would thrive if he found his way to TB or LAD. Some teams would probably be happy having him in a bullpen role.
Value and likelihood of a trade are pretty subjective. How much weight do you give each? I think they did a good job. Be interesting to see this a week before the deadline.
My my how the turn tables
All whole lot of meh. Maybe Freidman was right to load up during the off-season and not wait til the deadline?
That can afford to load up for the whole year so why not?
Think this article missed the Brewers. They are in it but Quintana, Cortes, Myers, Haase, Bauers, Pegura, Payamps , and Hudson can still be had even if they are in it.
In other words, the Brewers’ junk drawer.
Quintana would be a welcome addition to many teams. If he is available I’d imagine there would be interest.
Yep. The Brewers and the Rays do the best job of keeping “an eye towards the future” knowing that they don’t have the big city money.
You listed some of the worst players on the team. Why would anyone trade for Bauers, Payamps, Haase or a broken Nestor??
Well first off Pegura Payamps, and Hudson is guarantee they would be the top third of half the leagues bullpens. Haase would make half the leagues back up catcher situation a lot better too.. Quintana and Myers could be a 3 or 4 in a lot of the starting rotation with Myers having numerous years. The reason I say these guys is because we can replace them with younger players and probably be better overall.
Brewers have excess pitching, and a weak bench and left side of the infield. If they can flip pitching for a bat, they will be a better club with a chance in the postseason. Need a slugger who plays SS or 3B.
Left side of Milwaukee’s infield (Durbin and Ortiz) have both heated up over the last month and are playing solid defense.
You forgot Cease, Arraez and Suarez.
They didn’t list players from the other teams currently occupying playoff spots so not sure why they would include those guys from SD.
Especially when all the reporting is that SD wants to acquire a RH bat an offensive upgrades at catcher. Preller is going to buy unless they have a horrible July
It will be decided by the ASG. They are worse off now than they were in 2021. Preller doing something stupid would be a desperation Hail Mary move to try to save his job.
His job isn’t in any trouble. He’s going to add at the peripherals, wait for SF and Stl to fall back to earth, hope to stay healthy, and try for a deep run in the playoffs.
His only mistake would be to panic
They are not worse off now than in ‘21 because they have the 4th easiest strength of schedule remaining and they have way more pitching depth this year than they did then.
In the second half of that season they were rolling out Velasquez and Arrieta to get pummeled, but the backend guys they have now like Vasquez and Kolek are worlds better than that with a much better bullpen to help them out and the possibility (not counting on it) that Darvish and King return at some point.
They don’t need to go crazy at the deadline because they currently have a couple black holes in their lineup. Just a middle of the road catcher and LF would be a drastic improvement
Fangraphs has them currently projected at 84 wins and a 4 in 10 chance of making the playoffs. You probably don’t see King until August some time at best were he has maybe 6-8 starts left. Who the heck knows what you are going to get from Darvish. My guess, nothing. The problem is guys like Cease, Arraez and Suarez are doing near zip. Their leaving would go unnoticed. Then you have Tatis. Bogaerts, Machado and Merrill underperforming. And Cronenworth is an empty uni. No bench. And you all think some tinkering with on the edges catapults this team to greatness? And with what are they going to get these peripheral pieces? They have one of the worst farm systems in baseball. Now if you trade the three I mentioned to a team looking for a peripheral piece, maybe we get something that helps. But as it stands right now, these guys are flat tires.
Lost me at the first paragraph.
Please tell us the last time Fangraphs or any entities projection system has been accurate about baseball. Any time of year.
A teams success today is primarily based on injuries or lack thereof, as well as the result of continuous roster moves. Since each team is in competition with other teams, you have to depend on crystal ball readers that foresee future injuries and the results of player transactions to input that data into the individual projection system algorithms.
His job may be in trouble if he makes a bad move again, or if he doesn’t make a move and the padres miss the playoffs
I believe he’s made so many moves to make sure that he doesn’t get fired
Barring a terrible July Preller will buy. A team currently hold a playoff stop doesn’t sell.
They hopefully will get king and Darvish back at some point the second half.
Merrill and tatis haven’t been hitting and they are still a playoff spot holder. If they start to click the second half then they’ll be much better.
For me the only question is are they going to try and make a big move or just try and get a small upgrades at LF/DH and Catcher.
Preller is on record saying when they go for it at the deadline they it’s got them into the playoffs. When they have done very little they have missed. That and the new ownership wants to show the fan base they want to win.
The question is what can he get while holding onto DeVries.
Samuel
“Please tell us the last time Fangraphs has been accurate about baseball. Any time of year.”
Of course they are accurate. Don’t confuse accuracy with exactness. And the more detailed you get (team v player) the more variance you will incur.
“you have to depend on crystal ball readers that foresee future injuries and the results of player transactions”
You might as well say that the results are completely random. In that case, they might as well hire me for a fraction the cost of a real GM.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
His job may be in trouble if he makes a bad move again
========================
He also makes some good moves. But they will always be overlooked when compared to Soto disaster.
Almost no question that they will be adding.
If and when they get Darvish back they should let him get a couple of starts in and then trade him
What an ugly thing to say. Hoping someone dies soon? There’s a lot to assume about you too…………..none of it good. Enjoy being an ageist bigot.
Agree with you. But unfortunately that is a nation we have become.
He meant his time is near to win a world series tbh lol like the Cubbie woo guy 108 yrs between events
My special boy Sammy might go bonkers reading this
You’re hoping someone will die soon because you don’t like what he says? The ‘progressive’ way, good job.
Why would the marlins trade Sandy at rock bottom value? Why would a contender want a SP with an 8ERA? Sure he’s been great in the past and could turn it around but it’s too big a gamble to give up prospects and take on the contract
depends on the ask, if its only money and a lottery prospect worth the shot he is shaking the rust off and goes back to ace level. especially when you are forced to start dfa starters regularly due to injuries
Maybe the Dodgers/Mets/Yankees/Cubs etc see something they think can adjusted with Alcantara. Pitch mix. Delivery. Etc.
I swear to god if the dodgers add yet another cy young winner
Steve, you have the Rockies on the list of Fringe contenders/playoff hopefulls?? Pass whatever it is you’re smoking over here please…
Rocky Mountain High!
Has nothing to do with fringe contenders. It’s a “league-wide list” including all teams. There are a lot of fringe contenders so the list is more interesting than you might expect. The Rockies are not one of the fringe contenders, obviously.
I understand that but he introduced the category by saying that the following is a list of fringe contenders and/or playoff hopefulls…
That is pretty funny. Should have a sentence just for them that says “too dumb to sell”. Like a hoarder with a house full of turds in bottles.
What a pathetic list! Figures this is the year the Cubs are trying to win but no ace available.
Heaney and Keller are probably the best options. Sale is hurt so that’s not happening…
Braves wouldn’t be trading Sale. They have an option for next year, and will be trying to contend. My guess is that if he comes back healthy in September and looks good, they convert the option to a one year extention with an option for the next year (2027), like they did several times with Morton.
Maybe they should have done their business in the offseason, eh? Most midseason trades don’t do much other than increase fan interest, anyways
Sure but the owner did t want to pay the luxury tax. Plus, thats easy to say now but it takes two to tango…
Eh. Tell that to the 2021 Braves, the 2024 Dodgers, etc., etc.
Maybe Kelly from Arizona?
Kelly’s a decent 3/4 though, not an ace.
True but if I had to pick a guy from the list to start a playoff game it’s him
@ohyeahdam: Kelly over Lugo?
Oh you’re right. Hadn’t realized how far the Royals had slid in the standings
If they are sellers, Lugo is n my guy.
A team looking for an “Ace” isn’t a contender. A contender is looking to upgrade the rotation, not build it.
That’s bad news for Mets fans.
Pretty much every team in MLB except the Pirates and Tigers is looking for an ace, even the Dodgers *(who haves ace(s) on the IL)
Should add Mickey Moniak to the list of available Rockies. Some team in need of a 4th OF could get him pretty cheap.
The defense is such a limiting factor that Moniak wouldn’t be anything more than a replacement level 5th-6th OFer on a contender.
You’d have to find a posteason-bound club with a huge hole in the 26th spot on the roster to move him for anything, and even then it would be something like a team’s #24 prospect..
Man if abreu is available the reds should pay up
If Chris Sale is traded while being on the IL60, does that injury designation transfer to the new team as well?…I can’t imagine Sale taking 2 months to recover from a cracked rib is why i ask
@braveshomer: Sale mentioned he broke “two short ribs” on a podcast recently. 6-12 weeks typical recovery time on a non displaced rib fracture for the fracture itself to heal plus ramping back up. I’d be surprised if he missed less than 2 months.
Technically, I believe he would need to be activated to the 40-man at the expense of another player or an open spot to be traded to another team’s 40-man that has an open spot before he could be placed back on the 60-day.
Kansas City wouldn’t trade with us, but Lugo would be a great fit.
If the Royals fall far enough out and the Tigers make a good offer your bet the Royals will take it
Some trade deadline trades that are mutually beneficial involve two teams (usually not in same leagues) that are in playoff contention. The buyerssellers
Brewers, Rays and Guardians do that often.
Great detail here. Thank you. Spot on with the Oriole options. Happy 4th!
With so many Pirates on the list does this mean the leadership is not getting it done?
No one has been traded yet
Most won’t be
It means their pitching staff has been very good.
6th year of the rebuild and the team OPS+ is 79. On a team with James Wood. That’s horrific.
Such a shame. Team ERA+ is 119. They could have gone places.
Including Duran & Abreu is an absolute joke. Neither is being moved.
I e heard many fans call for them to be traded to make room for the young guys
They are the young guys, there are younger and they are here and they are playing as well.
This is Trader Jerry time. I could see them sending Harry Ford, Tyler Locklear, and Ryan Sloan to the Royals for Vinnie Pasquantino and either Wacha or Lugo’s contract. Sal Perez is amazing but also 36. But maybe giving up 3 MLB top-100 prospects is too much for Jerry.
Seldom are rebuilding/sell off teams moving multiple players in the same trade. They tend to get more when moving wanted pieces separately.
M’s don’t really need Lugo or Wacha but the deal might become sweeter to KC if the Mariners take a huge contract off their hands.
Royals are trading a hitter?
They only have 3!
Sal Perez is going nowhere. Not to mention he’s a 10 and 5 guy. putting up an awful negative 1.0 bWAR season.
Garcia said on opening day his goal was to hit 50 Home Runs this season. Now to be fair, he didn’t say if he meant in real life or in “MLB the Show”…
Question for the room about the A’s/Severino thing. It’s obvious that the A’s are going to have to eat some of that contract but is there a minimum they have to take on as not to have punitive action taken against them?
Thanks.
I think in as much as they want to receive their full revenue sharing amount, they’d need to be mindful of how a trade changes their CBT calculation. My understanding is that in the current CBA, AAVs for CBT purposes are recalculated at the time of a trade to reflect what is still owed on the contract. I don’t know if that only applies to the new acquiring team or if it recalculates the former team’s hit too. If it recalculates in both directions, Severino’s contract is backloaded so moving him would bring their CBT number down more. Roster Resource says that his AAV is $22.3m and he’s making $20m this year so the difference for 2/3 of a season seems negligible and the A’s could retain that if they had to. But this article says he’s only making $15m this year and $19m AAV. Maybe a signing bonus is responsible for the discrepancy? There’s a bigger gap if a team wanted to try to pry away Brent Rooker as a lot of fans would like. He’s only making $4m in the first year of a backloaded contract with a $12m AAV.
I don’t really know how the calculations are done though. If it goes backwards as well, do they recalculate fully wrapped up previous seasons and send a bill to repay overpayments?
@KamKid
I agree with everything thing you said. To add, signing bonuses are equally distributed across the length of the contract for determining CBT.
This is just such a weird situation. I have a sinking feeling I’ll be leaving more about the CBA than I want to
Yeah. I feel like it’s a big effort to half understand some of this stuff. Seems relevant though with some trade candidates early into multi year backloaded deals.
@Kam All compensation prorated in the event of trade and split equivalent to time on each teams roster.
Of course this is something Samuel can’t enjoy. Aside from nothing nostalgic its hard for him to provide his pompous often false opinion as though it is fact.
Tigers, can you elaborate? If I’m interpreting your comment correctly, you are saying AAVs for CBT purposes don’t change at the time of a trade? I know that’s not true for the acquiring team. As per this Ben Clemens article: blogs.fangraphs.com/a-minor-cba-change-could-creat…
The focus on any article I can find about it is from the perspective of the CBT implications for acquiring teams conscious of paying the luxury tax. But I haven’t seen any commentary about the effects of selling teams who are revenue sharing recipients as the A’s would be in this case. Or Pirates and Marlins if they sold Keller or Alcantara for that matter.
The AAVs are what they over course of contract for players under contract. What I was getting at was the salary breakdown. Ti keep it simple let’s use $10M and a player traded after game 81. That would be $5M charged against each team for 81 games.
Each player has a roster spot and you can average the cost of each roster spot over 162 games, that would bring you to the total for players occupying roster spots. Then there’s basically dead $ owed on trades or players cut.
But if say A’s trade Severino paying zero salary, they would only benefit for the $ they paid as far as their situation with revenue sharing.
Tigers, so only money paid as it’s the first year not a percentage of the AAV for one season?
We need to take your example a step forward to reflect a player traded in the first year of a multiyear contract. Same situation, but the contract is $10m, $15m, $20m for an AAV of $15m. The trade happens after game 81 of the first year. At that point, AAV of the contract for the acquiring team is recalculated to reflect the actual dollars owing for the remainder of the term so the new AAV on that contract would be $40m/2.5 = $16m instead of the original $15m. So the new team would be assessed $8m CBT hit instead of $7.5m for half a season. Easy enough.
But what I don’t understand is how that works for the previous team. Let’s say it’s the A’s. I think what you said is they’d only be assessed for the actual money paid. In our example here, it would be $5m rather than half of the original AAV which would be $7.5m.
In the case of Severino, where it’s a free agent contract where there’s not a huge discrepancy between the AAV and actual salary in any one year, it doesn’t seem to be a huge issue. Teams can make up the difference easily. It would be a bigger issue for something like a pre arb deal like Rooker or Butler where the salaries escalate a lot over the contract. I doubt those guys are moving but Rooker is 30 already on a team that isn’t good and won’t be in Vegas until he’s already 33. There’s at least some reason to believe the A’s could cash him in if they are prioritizing ’28 and beyond. Again, it’s still an amount the A’s could just retain to get their CBT calculation to where it needs to be, but they’d want to be buying talent with that retained money and Rooker would already have a high acquisition cost on his contract. The As insisting on retaining money and more of a return could push the acquisition cost up a fair bit more.
@Kam salaries for future years only apply to that year. For luxury tax purposes the AAV is prorated for salary of that season for portion played with each club.
Signing bonuses tho Im pretty sure are divided amongst seasons under contract. If a player opts out after year 1 that signing bonus is all charged to the first year. Not sure what happens if a player with a signing bonus opts out say year 3. I’d assume any remaining years opted out of the signing bonus would b charged to the year that just finished.
KamKid;
Yet another reason fans can no longer enjoy pro sports.
Yet another reason fans can no longer enjoy pro sports.
==========================
I don’t understand the remark. Are you saying that fans no longer enjoy pro sports because of the size of the contracts or the complexity of the contracts?
Because that makes no sense to me.
I don’t think it’s necessary for fans to understand these things to enjoy the game. I’d bet the majority of fans who get a lot of entertainment value from watching baseball don’t have a clue about the CBA or care what mechanism landed their favourite player on their favourite team. They just like watching their team play the game.
Some of us are entertained by trying to think along with front offices. That’s probably a good chunk of people on a trade rumors website. But probably not the majority of sports fans.
That contract is so underwater they need to trade someone young and valuable along with it. No team should take that contract even paid down most of the way.
NiSaint to answer your question I would say the A’s will have to pay so much of that contract down to trade him that their payroll will be high enough to avoid union issues. I could see them taking on a bad contract to offset things if it meant getting a halfway decent prospect. The big question is how much are the going to have to pay to get someone decent back vs how much they have to pay as a pure salary dump?
@WadeBoggsWildRide
Thanks Wade. I had a look at Severino’s home/away splits and the numbers are extreme. His ERA (I know, not the best measure of performance) is nearly twice as high at home compared to road games. His other metrics pretty much reflect this divide.
Just pulling a number out of my butt of $10M the A’s would have to eat to move Severino and stay in the good graces of the league, I don’t think the price of acquisition would be that bad.
Dennis Santana has a lot of value.
Imagine saying that a year ago.
And where’s Tommy Pham????
He’s hitting over 300 since May 1
The trade deadline, the weak teams get weaker and the strong teams get better. Will make some games a waste of time to watch.
the weak get weaker and the strong get better huh?
are you related to biff tannen?
alright, i’ll stop jeering you… now i’ll make like a tree and get outta here
Heh you’re old
Then again maybe you’re back from the Enchantment Under the Sea
Yeah the Tigers trading away players at last year’s deadline only created one of most exciting come from behind stories in the games history. And due to that hardly an inning in that span was a waste of time to watch.
Tigers3232
That was a surprising exception. For example the Pirates would not have recently swept two of the better teams, the Mets and Cards, if the players mentioned were shipped out. They might have been the ones that were swept. Just saying that teams that unload players usually become less competitive.
They continue on their losing ways I’m certain the Guardians will have Clase and Kwan available. They are really the only valuable tradable players they have and they do trade well before contracts are up. The others on their list, except maybe Santana, you would have to pay another team to take
What kind of prospect haul would it take to get them to “think about” moving JRam ??? Certainly he’s not untouchable at his age, although I do recognize it would have to be a respectful and impressive return. (I’m thinking to the Mariners and they have the prospects to pull it off.)
He has a non trade clause. He is untouchable
…..and as usual you have no plan to replace any of the players you want gone (other than your oft repeated claim that the Braves won’t because they’re cheap.) Btw—-Acuna and Olson aren’t over rated just because they’re on your s…t list. I recently clicked on a link to an article about Michael Fulmer on the site from 7 years ago. You were making the same tired comments then—-and insisting the Braves should trade Acuna for him. From ranting about acquiring Fulmer, MadBum, and dealing away Acuna, etc., you’re approaching a decade of being lost. Keep it up—–you’re an “interesting” read, lol.
Haha yeah, this guy had a 3 year hard on for Bumgarner. While Bumgarner literally took a dump in every bed he could find.
I think he just wants to be Bumgarner’s personal toilet.
Thanks dooper now I’m gonna be hearing every future post by this knucklehead in the voice of the talking toilet from better call saul. This is gonna be fun lol!
I think Willi Castro should be on the list. The Twins are not going to make the playoffs, and Castro is going to be hitting free agency. Ty France’s expected numbers have a lot of ceiling in them so I could see him being moved as well. Bader, Coulombe too.
Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax are probably likely trade targets as well.
The Twins recently had I believe a 13 game win streak. They have looked every bit that of a contending team since then.
And in the off chance they are sellers Castro and Jax are the only ones likely to bring back anything meaningful.
The win streak was 2 months ago. 9-18 last month isn’t what I’d consider every bit of a contending team.
Especially since that included a 3-15 run at one point.
I would include Bergman since he could op out after this year…
Im skeptical the Royals will move Lugo. They can QO him. And they’re pretty serious about not turning the fan base off any more than they can while after the new ballpark. He’s not bringing back the impact they need for 2026 anyway.
I wonder if the Mets have soured enough on Vientos (he’s also out of options) to deal him for Lugo. Even then, though, he’s only a fit at DH on KC.
KC doesnt need another DH type. They need someone who can slot in the OF
The Astros need O’Hearn.
“When the Pirates claimed Santana last June, few took notice. Jokes were made.”
He’s calling out the “who?” And “world series now!!!” Commenters and I love it.
Anyone dealing for Alcantara had better not give up anything of importance for him. The guy is awful. Worse than awful. And yet so many people seem to think he’s an ace.
I think they assume he is still an ace level starter. I think the injuries have possibly caught up with him? He may need this year to just get back into pitching shape overall.
He’s not awful but he certainly is overrated
This is a pretty weak group of trade options. No thank you to any of them.
Minster’d
Aside from O’Hearn, Keller and a few others, this year is shaping up to be. a real dumpster-diving exercise. The top trade candidate is a guy who has put up truly abysmal numbers thus far.
I feel like the third wild card really warped the buyer-seller balance.
I think 3 or 4 more teams will find themselves out of contention in a month. Those teams might have interesting pieces to sell. I guess we’ll see.
When did we begin describing human beings as “pieces.”
It only seems to have happened in the last few years, it’s misdescriptive, and fundamentally antihuman.
Wonder what it would take to acquire O’Neil Cruz at this point in his career?
Probably a pretty good haul. He has three years of control beyond this one, and despite the frustrating inconsistency he still has quite a high ceiling and freakishly good tools. Maybe another team can help him to finally put it all together.
Yeah it’s an odd case as he definitely has elite tools… but is a .770 ops hitter who has already been shifted off his natural position and isn’t exactly shining in the OF. Not mention the injury concerns. He plays so hard that he could be lost for the season on any play. The control aspect increases his value for sure but I’m really not sure what kind of package it would take. He’s got one of the highest ceilings in all of baseball… but also has an incredibly low floor. Personally I would consider moving him to 1B despite his arm being Plus-Plus just to reduce the chance of injury and put him on a program to bulk up and add 25lbs of muscle. But doing so would significantly hurt his speed tool. So take away the arm and the speed and you’ve now made a possible 4/5 tool player into a 2/3 tool player. On paper it makes no sense but if he simply focused on hit tool and power tool and could play serviceable 1B with his size, I think his value could be maximized… maybe?
One of the fastest players in baseball who already hits baseballs harder than all but a few players, and you want to weigh him down with 25 lbs of pointless dead weight, pointless except for the tendency of added muscle to increase injury versus a program of stretching and flexibility?
He’s actually above average in CF, by Statcast, so no. Don’t do ANY of that.
I mean… that’s like your opinion… man
– Lebowski
With getting prospects for expiring contracts, with less injuries Orioles will be right back next season.
Nope
In 2021 it was Tyler Anderson, in 2022, it was Jose Quintana – reference Andrew Heaney note
Tigers need both a power righty bat and an everyday 3B- Suarez is the perfect fit.
IKF will 100 percent not be a pirate come the trade line. If GM Ben doesn’t trade him on an expiring contract he should be fired the next day. He should have already been fired with the pathetic rebuild plan, only lucked out on sucking so bad Skenes got drafted #1 and furthermore not signing any offensive talent. Geez Tommy Pham still hasn’t been cut and that was the biggest offseason acquisition. Embarrassing.
But will Steve still be a pirate come the championship game. Ask the Ocho. Arrrr
It would be amusing to see IKF back on the Yankees to play 3B since they’ve screwed up the position the last few years.
The Pirates and the Yankees love to be trade partners. I wouldn’t doubt that.
Santana returns Live in LA please
Rockies probably be listed under the fringe contenders category.
Not the most inspiring list..
Exactly. Just not much to get excited/motivated about.
Mark my words – Tyler Stevenson will be traded on the offseason now that Trevino was signed long term. They won’t pay two catchers. Big mistake but they make a lot of them. Then they’ll probably trade another reliever to get another catcher. Pretty similar to trading India and trading for Lux which made no sense either.
Adrian Houser, voted Most Likely to Regress.
Ramon Laureano should be on this list. Hitting and playing defense as well as anyone on the Orioles. Under club control at well below market value (if he keeps this up).
Check #33 on the list.
If I’m an acquiring team, I would rather have him than Mullins right now based on current performance. Track record on Mullins is better but you’re getting what they are this year not the last few.
Mullins is a pure rental so he’s probably likelier to go. If Laureano keeps playing like this that option at $6.5M is going to get picked up so I could see BAL just keeping him for ‘26.
Two weeks ago I could have seen Mullins going to the Mets, but with McNeil playing a respectable CF and with Mauricio turning into an average hitter at 2B, which frees up McNeil to play CF which in turn puts Taylor, whose bat has died and gone somewhere in the 4th OFer role he’s much more suited for,, Mullins doesn’t add much beyond a little depth—and he’s going to cost more than depth usually costs.
No sign of a contract for Bichette so Toronto has to move him. Look for him in a package for starting pitching depth.
Wishlist:
1. Eugenio Suarez for Jaden Hamm, Max Anderson
2. Aroldis Chapman for Jace Jung
3. Mike Tauchman for Andy Ibanez
Red Sox have no need for Jace Jung. They need pitching.
Would love players be on the Angels that always kill us like Naylor and Duran. Only Duran would be a fit though because 1B is pretty set.
As a Mets fan, I would trade with Arizona for Suarez and Zac Gallen (both are free agents at season’s end) shouldn’t cost much to get them plus trade with Colorado for Jake Bird, leave McNeil in CF and Baty
Chris Sale,
Ostentatiously, left off the list.
Any team
That picks.up.the option shows.themselves to be not.good employers.
How much are teams giving up for a (very) injury prone starter that’s on the IL until at least mid-August?
@SteveAdams could you produce an article listing three top teams that could come the closest to giving PIT what they’d potentially want in a return for Skenes and share with potential trade packages? A little trade deadline fun!
@angt222 That’s both crazy, and interesting. You’d need two respectable pre=arb position players plus one pre-arb pitcher, each of whom has already shown they can play in MLB, as the base of the deal.
As of the 2024-25 offseason, on the Mets I would have said Vientos was one such guy given what he did in 2024. David Peterson, maybe, if he’d been pre-arb, then at least two more of team’s top prospects, probably including at least one starting pitcher. Maybe the fifth player is a lottery ticket?
But that’s moot particularly given Vientos’ collapse this year.
What about Ronny Mauricio, David Peterson,Jett Williams (I really hate dealing the kid), and Jonah Tong? You’d have to add another pre–arb player who has put up at least one 2-win season to reduce the chance that nobody pans out.. The fan revolt in Pittsburgh will be bad enough if you’re not getting at least two players who are already as ‘proven’ as pre-arb guys can be, short of someone like Bobby Witt or Gunnar. .
All of which is to say, it doesn’t look like the Mets are a real match, and I don’t know enough about other teams’ young players to suggest another package from, say, the Dodgers.
Great idea for a column! Pittsburgh needs a draw, though. You deal Skenes with 4-1/2 years of team control left and you break the spirit of your fan base. It’s bad enough they haven’t been able to put together an offense. All you’d be leaving them with, if Skenes is dealt, are The Last Days of Andrew McCutchen.
i mean braves whole team should be on trading block in a fire sale to get ready for 2026
One of the strangest collapses I’ve ever seen. 101 wins in 2022, then 104 wins in ’23. Atlanta was making all the right moves, they had a GM with a magic wand, they even managed to partially rescue 2024 by squeezing into the postseason.
Then the bottom fell out. . A closer look makes bad luck a significant culprit, where neutral luck gives them a 45-44 record instead of 39-50. Harris’s collapse at the plat is also partly bad luck. Same with Albies. Ozuna’s decline at 34 isn’t all that surprising. Riley’s decline during his peak age seasons is inexplicable, though. No surprise, that they were a starter short going into the season.
Still, there’s a lot of luck in baseball, and the Braves are getting mostly the bad kind.
They’re not an old team, so a fire sale doesn’t make the most sense with anyone that’s got a meaningful role in 2026. That means dealing Ozuna and…?
we had a rebuild and won a WS, that is a succesful rebuild.. but the kicker to it is we won by picking up guys at the trade deadline that was hot in october…. for the contracts we have on the young players makes them valuable… so they can bring back more prospects, our minors and prospect rankings is depleted… i mean whos there besides maybe caminiti? ozuna, murphy, iggy, sale were 4 that came to mind that could bring back value.. has even been floated to trade acuna (which i think is absurd ) but could u imagine the haul we could get for him considering he wont re-sign with us in 3 years… ole shitker is the biggest issue and always has been.. its ok to call it a year and be sellers… im not saying full rebuild but always listen to all offers .. someone posted a tweet the other day of our mlb and all our minor league stats on hitting.. u should look it up …itss terrible
I can’t figure out the ranking system. Clearly it’s not based on best players. But if it is most likely to be traded, it seems like Suarez and Morton would be much higher.