MLB trade deadline: Who will be this year’s biggest buyers, sellers, and surprises?
We are mere days away from a major event on the MLB calendar that we’ve all surely circled in red: the MLB trade deadline.
This year, the trade deadline is actually a couple of days later than normal, falling at 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 2 rather than its normal home at the end of July. But that’s OK with us. It just means a couple more days to talk about what should happen as we approach one of the most exciting days of the year.
To help sort out what to keep an eye for at this year’s trade deadline, we’ve assembled a collection of FanSided.com editors and team experts to give us their best takes.
A roll call of the characters before we get to the questions and answers:
- Mark Powell, MLB editor at FanSided.com
- Cody Williams, editor at FanSided.com
- Robert Murray, FanSided’s MLB Insider and editor at Redbird Rants
- Thomas Carannante, Sports Director and editor at Yanks Go Yard and Dodgers Way
- Adam Weinrib, Sports Director and editor at Yanks Go Yard and Dodgers Way
- Gabrielle Starr, editor at That Ball’s Outta Here
- Dave Hill, expert at Call to the Pen and White Cleat Beat
- Drew Koch, FanSided.com MLB contributor and expert at Blog Red Machine
- Noah Yingling, FanSided.com MLB contributor and expert at Rox Pile
- Tim Boyle, FanSided.com MLB contributor and expert at Rising Apple
Which team needs to be the biggest buyer at the MLB trade deadline?
Robert Murray: New York Yankees. The Yankees are in prime position to win the World Series, but have a need for another outfielder, starting pitching and bullpen help. They have the prospects to make these moves and should, otherwise they run the risk of yet another defeat against the Houston Astros. If there was ever a time to part with some of those prospects for a, say, Luis Castillo type, now is the time to do so.
Mark Powell: Needs to? The Yankees and/or Cardinals. New York doesn’t have many holes but now is the time to go for it, if ever. St. Louis is lacking hard in the pitching department with Steven Matz and Jack Flaherty down. Unless they’re punting on World Series chances this season, it’s the year to land a big-name pitcher with some contract control.
Adam Weinrib: New York Yankees — after an historic start, the past month has been a semi-slog (near-.500) that’s seen them dip to a clear second banana behind the Astros in the AL. They can’t afford to waste Aaron Judge’s walk year or a 12-game lead in the AL East. The pressure has been on for years, but now the screw-turning has been supercharged.
Gabrielle Starr: The Phillies. They finally have a chance to end the longest postseason drought in the NL, but they need some pitching and a solid defender in their outfield. Hopefully not strikeout machine Joey Gallo.
Dave Hill: Phillies. They need multiple relievers, another starting pitcher, and a center fielder if they are going to end their playoff drought. While they have gone on an impressive run since Joe Girardi was fired, they just do not have enough as the roster is currently constructed to continue their run, especially as other contenders improve.
Drew Koch: I’m going to go with the Seattle Mariners, simply for the fact that they earmarked this season to get back to the playoffs. By trading for Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez, Seattle sent a clear message that they were looking to compete in 2022. While they’ll never catch the Houston Astros, they’ll need to improve the roster in order to make a run at the postseason.
Cody Williams: St. Louis Cardinals – Locked in a tight NL Central race, the Cardinals rotation has been devastated by injuries. They have to be aggressive in pursuing starting pitching (and another bat to deepen the lineup wouldn’t hurt either).