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We’re still a month away from the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, so a lot can happen before then — especially since so many teams can still at least entertain wild-card dreams with one hot streak. A few teams will ultimately help determine the intensity of this trade season: The New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins will make the deadline much more interesting if they fall out of the playoff picture and decide to unload stars.
In the meantime, it’s time for our annual list: One player every team should trade for (or away). Let’s start with the biggest name on the trade board.
Jump to team:
American League
ATH | BAL | BOS | CHW | CLE
DET | HOU | KC | LAA | MIN
NYY | SEA | TB | TEX | TOR
National League
ARI | ATL | CHC | CIN | COL
LAD | MIA | MIL | NYM | PHI
PIT | SD | SF | STL | WSH
These teams also happen to rank 1-2-3 in the majors in rotation ERA, but all three have reasons to swing such a deal:
Milwaukee: The franchise has never won a World Series, hasn’t been in one since 1982 and has been on the edge of getting there for years now. If there’s ever a year to go all-in, this is it. Skubal could be that final piece for the Brewers, and he not only adds another ace to go with Jacob Misiorowski but also gives them another lefty starter alongside Kyle Harrison to combat Shohei Ohtani and a lefty-heavy Dodgers lineup. The Brewers have the prospects to make any deal they want, but does owner Mark Attanasio have the resolve to take on the rest of Skubal’s salary?
Los Angeles: Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been great and Justin Wrobleski keeps winning despite a low strikeout rate, but the health of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow remains a question. So there’s that, but there’s also an uncertain future for the Dodgers. If the labor negotiations eventually end with a salary cap being implemented, it won’t be as easy for the Dodgers to spend their way to World Series titles, so there’s added imperative to win now — and make a little history in joining the 1936-39 Yankees, 1949-53 Yankees, 1972-74 A’s and 1998-2000 Yankees as the only teams to win at least three straight World Series.
Tampa Bay: Another team in search of a first World Series title — and the American League will never be easier to win, so this is the year for the Rays to push in all their chips. The rotation, despite ranking second in ERA, is thin behind Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan and Nick Martinez, so adding Skubal to front a playoff rotation makes sense. And, more so than the Brewers, it seems the Rays are more likely to make a big deal for Skubal in the first place.
Obviously, to acquire Skubal, that means the Tigers must be willing to trade him. In ranking the top 100 trade candidates last week, Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel put Skubal’s trade probability at 85%. But there are a couple of issues.
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First, though Skubal has returned from his elbow injury and throwing as hard as pre-injury, the results haven’t been up to his usual standards, as he has given up seven home runs in four starts since coming off the injured list. But his last start against the Yankees on Tuesday was much better as he gave up only one hit in six innings.
Second, the Tigers will need to be convinced they’re out of the playoff race — and though they’re 11 games under .500, FanGraphs puts their chances of making the playoffs at around 24%. In fact, despite their record, they are only one of five AL teams with a positive run differential. Given the struggles of the bullpen and an inconsistent offense, a run like two years ago feels unlikely, so it still makes sense for the Tigers to cash in on Skubal and add more premium young talent to go with Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Bryce Rainer and established stars such as Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler.
As the Mets continue to stumble and bumble their way through the 2026 season, this is an easy one. Peralta is heading to free agency and, despite that 4.81 ERA, he still projects as one of the top available starting pitchers. But teams looking to acquire him will have to scout him closely and decide if he’s a difference-maker for their rotation. His strikeout rate is down a significant six percentage points from last year and he’s giving up extra-base hits at a higher rate. Is that just the stink of the Mets rubbing off on him? His true talent level is probably somewhere between the career-low 2.70 ERA he posted with the Brewers in 2025 and what he’s doing this season, so he’s more of a No. 3 starter in a playoff rotation.
The safe thing would be for the White Sox to do nothing at the deadline under the justification that they are still early in the rebuilding process and don’t want to trade prospects for short-term help. But why not now?
They’ve reached playoff contention much earlier than expected and can absolutely win the AL Central. The rotation’s No. 15 ranking in ERA is misleading, as manager Will Venable has relied on a variety of openers. As a result, the White Sox are last in innings pitched from their starters. They need another one. Remember, they’re about to add the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft (on July 10) to the farm system, so that might embolden general manager Chris Getz to part ways with a couple of midlevel prospects to add a pitcher like Peralta.
Meanwhile, the White Sox’s crosstown rivals already traded for David Peterson to add to a rotation that ranks 23rd in ERA and has battled a slew of injuries. Ben Brown, having a breakout season, was the just in to go down because of a fractured bone in his neck that could sideline him for the rest of the regular season. Peterson is hardly a solution, though. The Cubs have run hot and cold all season — they’ve had winning streaks of 10 and 11 games, a 10-game losing streak and now a 9-1 run — so another seasoned starter is key. They could be in the mix for Skubal as well, although the Brewers, Dodgers and Rays have an edge in farm system quality.
This is a tough one. The four-game sweep of the Yankees this past weekend dramatically changed Boston’s outlook, as its playoff odds via FanGraphs jumped from 9.4% to 18.2% (and then up to 20% after Monday’s win but now at 14% after two losses). Still, is this a playoff team? A team that can do damage in October? In the AL, anything is possible, especially if Garrett Crochet returns and pitches the way he did last year, but the offense just hasn’t shown any signs of being at playoff-caliber level.
The dilemma for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is that the Red Sox have three potential very attractive trade options, or four, if you include reliever Garrett Whitlock. Chapman is the most likely to go, making $13 million with a $13 million vesting option for 2027. Given the need for relievers, he would be one of the most in-demand players if he’s made available.
Contreras, one of the few Red Sox hitters having a good season, is signed through 2027 with a $20 million club option/$7.5 million buyout for 2028. He has a no-trade clause to complicate matters but could also be the best hitter available. Gray also has a no-trade clause and is making a hefty $31 million with a $10 million buyout of a $30 million mutual option for 2027. Given that salary, he’ll be difficult to trade unless the Red Sox pay down some of it.
The Pirates and Marlins looking to add at the deadline? In the same year? What kind of parlor trick is this? Yes, both teams are in the playoff picture, both could use a closer, and Chapman’s prorated $13 million salary is affordable for both franchises.
Editor’s Picks
The Pirates are in the bottom half of the majors in bullpen ERA and win probability added as Gregory Soto, the primary closer, has a terrible ratio of 11 saves to four blown saves and is too erratic to be a playoff closer. Of course, they need to get there first, which is why they need Chapman. In a year in which the Pittsburgh offense has been playoff-worthy, it would be a shame to miss the playoffs due to a shaky bullpen.
The red-hot Marlins are suddenly in the rare position of adding at the deadline. They could use power, but closer Pete Fairbanks has a 6.84 ERA and has been homer-prone, leading to nine different relievers picking up saves. Chapman would solve the ninth-inning issues.
The Mariners have a hole bigger than the crater atop Mount St. Helens: They can’t hit left-handed pitching. Like, not “bad against lefties” or “they struggle against lefties,” but along the lines of “one of the worst performances ever against lefties.” Seattle is hitting .208 and ranks last in OPS against southpaws. Since the live ball era began in 1920, the only full-season team with a lower average against left-handers was the 1968 Yankees, who hit .204.
Contreras would provide a much-needed right-handed bat, displacing Rob Refsnyder and sharing DH/first-base duties with Josh Naylor. Contreras is making $18 million, so the Mariners would be taking on about $6 million in payroll. They took on salary with the Naylor and Eugenio Suarez deals at last year’s deadline, and it would be a shame to waste a good rotation because you can’t find a couple of right-handed batters.
As mentioned, Gray’s contract situation and salary will make a trade difficult (Jeff and Kiley put his trade odds at 25%), but the one general manager we know who loves to make unconventional moves is A.J. Preller, so going after Gray might be right up his alley, especially if the Padres’ new owners are willing to add to the payroll. Plus, the Padres need to be all-in right now given that their various contract situations will lead to an uncertain future. They do need offense, but they’re going to have to rely on second-half surges from Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill for that. The rotation needs help as well — bottom third in the majors in ERA — and that’s easier to fix.
The Yankees’ biggest hole is catcher, as Austin Wells is having a miserable offensive campaign — and good luck finding a quality catcher in the middle of the season. Goodman, who has bashed 27 home runs, would be the big get, but with three years of team control beyond 2026, he will be expensive to acquire and a position player with this much time until free agency is basically never traded at the deadline. Still, we’ve seen the Yankees’ offense struggle without Aaron Judge, so it’s worth it for general manager Brian Cashman to pay the price and upgrade on Wells.
Under the previous front office, it always felt as if the Rockies were scared to make deals. We don’t know how they’ll operate under Walker Monfort, Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes, but it would be nice to see a change in philosophy and the Rockies do something bold for a change. This is an organization that needs talent, and flipping Goodman for four or five players makes sense, in part because, though Goodman has turned into a big slugger, he has some flaws — lots of strikeouts, a low OBP and below-average pitch framing. Yes, it would sting to trade your best player, but Goodman could be Colorado’s version of the White Sox trading Garrett Crochet to jump-start a brighter future.
With the Twins now in the AL Central hunt, their trading Ryan appears less likely than it might have been in mid-June when Jeff and Kiley put his chance of being traded at 55%.
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The Braves’ rotation had a 3.12 ERA in April and 3.22 in May, but it was over 4.00 for June as Bryce Elder struggled and Spencer Strider landed on the IL (with a 5.31 ERA). Once you get past Chris Sale, are the Braves comfortable with anybody else lining up to start the second game of a playoff series? Spencer Schwellenbach hasn’t even begun a rehab assignment, so he remains out of the picture. Atlanta needs another front-line starter. Ryan won’t be cheap, as he is arguably the best starter who might be available aside from Skubal, plus he is under team control through 2027.
As for the Phillies, they need offense — but, like the Padres, they really will have to rely on their current guys, such as Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm, to hit better. They also need another starter to line up with Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo, as Aaron Nola is unusable in a playoff series and Andrew Painter is back in the minors. Put it this way: If you’re going to beat the Dodgers, you’re going to have shut them down, and that means adding a fourth quality starter. The Phillies and Twins struck a big deal last trade deadline for Jhoan Duran, so these front offices have worked together before.
Ah, but will the Twins even trade Ryan? Or Byron Buxton? Trading those two would be the most dramatic of paths but would completely alienate a fanbase still angry after last year’s deadline teardown. They could decide to keep Ryan and Buxton and add around the edges, especially the bullpen, which ranks 29th in ERA. Yates and Raley are veterans on bad teams (the Angels and Mets) and on inexpensive expiring contracts ($5 million and $4.75 million, respectively). If the Twins are close in the division race, they should go for it and add. But if they’re on the far edges of contention at the end of July, trading Ryan would make sense, with the threat of a labor stoppage in 2027 and his free agency approaching.
After spending all of 2025 in the bullpen, Detmers moved back into the rotation and is having his best season, ranking in the top 10 in the majors in strikeouts while holding batters to a .206 average. The Angels had moved him to the pen because his curveball and changeup hadn’t been very effective, making him mostly a four-seamer guy with a devastating slider.
This year, he has improved his command and now has four plus pitches. Here’s the kicker: Even though he first reached the majors in 2021, Detmers is still under team control through 2028 while making just $2.625 million. That will spike interest in him. We’ll see if interim general manager John Mozeliak can convince owner Arte Moreno to tear this thing down to the foundation and start accumulating prospects (don’t count on it).
Let’s group these teams together since they’re in a similar position: They all need rotation help, and though they don’t necessarily feel like playoff teams, they’re all in the playoff chase, with the Cardinals leading the way. The advantage in trading for Detmers is he comes with those additional years of team control, so even if you miss the playoffs, you’ll have him for additional years. Yes, that means trading better prospects or a bigger package of talent, but it’s a good opportunity for these franchises to acquire a front-line pitcher without paying the big dollars required in free agency. (All of this also applies to Angels right-hander Jose Soriano, who is also controllable through 2028).
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With the Giants fading, Arraez is probably one of the few decent offensive players who will be available and in demand, having his best offensive season since 2023 with a .326 average and .824 OPS. As always, that doesn’t come with much over-the-fence power or many walks, but every team can use the best contact hitter in the game who owns a .361 on-base percentage. For some reason, his defense at second base is suddenly outstanding as well — he ranks in the 99th percentile in range via Statcast metrics. He is signed for only one season at a reasonable $12 million, which will make him an attractive trade option once the Giants realize they’re not going anywhere.
Arraez is a good fit for Cleveland and a perfect fit for Texas. The Guardians need an impact bat, but impact power bats are hard to find, plus one-third of Arraez’s $12 million salary is more to their liking. The question is where to play him with rookie Travis Bazzana at second base. You could play Arraez at first base, where he has played in the past, or just DH him, although that feels like a waste of his new defensive ability. Or maybe you play him at second and let Bazzana take most of the DH at-bats. Either way, Arraez will provide some on-base skills at the top of the lineup that the Guardians have been missing with Steven Kwan’s collapse at the plate.
The Rangers have started six different players at second base, with light-hitting journeyman Nicky Lopez getting the starts there of late, so Arraez is an obvious upgrade. They’ve also been hitting Joc Pederson leadoff, which isn’t the worst idea, but they could slide Arraez into that role and move Pederson down into an RBI position.
Are the Orioles a playoff team? It doesn’t seem so. Ward is heading to free agency, so he’s the guy to trade, another rare position player who can help a lineup. But he’s having a weird season. After hitting 36 home runs with a .317 OBP for the Angels in 2025, he has only five home runs in 2026 but a .378 OBP. That makes him fit as a potential leadoff hitter or, even better, a middle-of-the-order bat if he can combine the high walk rate with his 2025 power.
The Astros and Reds could both end up dealing players, but for now, they’re on the fringes of the playoff race and both could use an outfielder. Astros outfielders are hitting .220/.295/.381 while Reds outfielders are hitting .218/.308/.368 for matching OPS totals of .676 through Tuesday — tied for 25th in the majors.
It has been a rough season for the Royals. Franchise legend Salvador Perez looks done. Injuries to Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic decimated the rotation. The bullpen has been a mess. Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia haven’t hit the way they did last year and are now on the IL.
That leads to trade options, with Lugo and fellow starter Michael Wacha both possibilities. Both are signed through 2027, with Lugo holding a $20 million vesting option for 2028 and Wacha a $14 million club option. Teams will ask for Wacha: He has been better and will make less money in 2027 and ’28. The Royals would probably like to have someone take Lugo’s contract off their hands.
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Speaking of rough. Sure, the injuries piled up for the defending AL champions, but they have plenty of other problems, like ranking near the bottom of the majors in OPS and home runs at first base. Given his $40 million salary, that makes Vladimir Guerrero Jr. one of the least valuable players in baseball in 2026. Anyway, as the Jays hope Guerrero and George Springer find their 2025 bats, they could use a starter to upgrade on Patrick Corbin or even Shane Bieber (who has struggled since coming off the IL). In a potential match with the Royals, Wacha is the player Toronto should go after.
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