MLB Trade Deadline: 1 trade every team shouldn’t make

Teams should be wary of making these deals at the 2016 MLB Trade Deadline.

Even with over two months remaining until the trade deadline, teams around the MLB are already thinking about potential deals.

With a couple of noteworthy exceptions, the trade market is shaping up as expected, particularly in the National League. The Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres have all fallen out of contention quickly and will be selling at the deadline.

Things were a little less clear in the American League going in, but the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics appear likely to sell. The big question will be if the New York Yankees enter the fray as they could get a big return for a couple of members of their bullpen.

Deadline deals shape the course of every season and have pushed teams like the Kansas City Royals last year to the title after they acquired Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto. However, there have been just as many deadline mistakes over the years that have come to hurt franchises for seasons to come.

Teams could be particularly prone to these kind of mistakes at this year’s deadline, especially in the wide-open AL. The free agent class of pitchers next offseason is looking incredibly weak after Stephen Strasburg signed a contract extension last week, so even middling starters could fetch big hauls at the deadline.

Every MLB team will need to be cautious at the deadline, and avoid making these trades.

Next: Arizona Diamondbacks: Adding any rental