The one All-Star Game that still matters is coming up, and that also means the juice of the MLB season is here. Many fans start to really plug in around the All-Star Break, and the rumors surrounding the trade deadline get fans talking.
It’s expected to be a very busy trade deadline. There haven’t been many trades yet in baseball, outside of the huge Rafael Devers trade, but there are multiple teams trying to reinvigorate their roster. The New York Yankees have seen their AL East lead disappear, while the Toronto Blue Jays are trying to build off their current momentum. The Red Sox have been as hot as any team in baseball after trading away their star, and they might want to add pieces before the deadline.
In the National League, the Mets and Phillies are within a half-game of each other going into the break. This might be the best two-team race in the league. Four teams in the NL Central have 50 wins already, including the surprising Cincinnati Reds. Then, there’s the NL West. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants all want to make waves in the playoff race.
With that, there are still plenty of bad teams with good players. Who will get moved prior to July 1st?
1. Sandy Alcantara
Miami Marlins
Usually, when a former Cy Young winner who hasn’t hit his 30th birthday comes on the market, there’s a line out the door of the stadium trying to get his services. However, Sandy Alcantara is not a normal case. The NL’s top pitcher in 2022 fell off in 2023 and then had Tommy John Surgery.
Since his return this season, Alcantara has been inconsistent at best. He’s 4-9 this season with a 7.22 ERA. His command has disappeared, and his ability to keep the ball in the yard is gone with it. He looked like he was figuring things out in June, and then he allowed seven earned runs to the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s now allowed 18 earned runs in his past three starts.
A team is going to look at Alcantara and think they can fix him. His issue is command, something he had just a few years ago. How can he get it back? He needs a great pitching coach.
The Houston Astros would be a really interesting destination. They have been devastated by starting pitching injuries, losing both Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski for the rest of the season. They’ve done well to get the most out of every pitcher on their roster, and Alcantara can get his career back in Houston.
2. Marcell Ozuna
Atlanta Braves
One of the disappointments of this season is the downfall of the Atlanta Braves. With the return of Ronald Acuna after his knee injury last season, many expected them to be World Series contenders again. Instead, they are 11 games under .500 and 12.5 games out of first place in the NL East.
There isn’t much to celebrate here for Atlanta, but they do have a unique opportunity for a team in constant contention. They get a chance to assess their roster and move pieces to the highest bidder. This was supposed to be a contender, so theoretically, there’s a lot of talent on this roster.
While this article would be more fun if Acuna or Matt Olsen were available, but it’s much more likely the Braves take an approach to retool and come back next year stronger. One player who doesn’t have that gravity is Marcel Ozuna. He has been really good for the Braves, but he’s a free agent after this season, he’s exclusively a designated hitter, and he’s 34 years old. He works better as a bat for hire.
The Seattle Mariners make too much sense here. They finally mixed their elite pitching with decent hitting, and adding Ozuna would give them a potent lineup for the playoffs.
3. ONeil Cruz
Pittsburgh Penguins
There are a few truly game-changing players available at the deadline this year. Now that the Red Sox are back in the race, their veterans are likely no longer available. One player who can change a team now and in the future is Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz.
Cruz is a centerfielder who can hit for power. He is on pace for his career high in home runs this season, going into the All-Star Break with 16 dingers. His power-filled season will likely have him participating in the Home Run Derby. He is dealing with a slight hip issue, but it’s not expected to lead to any time missed.
Cruz has the ability to push the envelope for a team, and he is just 26 years old. The Pittsburgh Pirates don’t want to be bad forever, and with Paul Skenes at the peak of his powers, some might argue the Bucs should keep Cruz, but they can turn Cruz into multiple pieces for the future. They might want to cash in now while his value is high.
Ironically, we see this coming down to the NL East race. Both the Phillies and Mets could use another power bat in the outfield.
4. Cedric Mullins
Baltimore Orioles
Another interesting outfield option is Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles. He can also play center field, helping teams that are in need of offense and defense. The Orioles are just like the Atlanta Braves in that they hoped to be at least playoff contenders, but they are near the bottom of the standings.
Mullins is also a speedster, which is an element of the game that teams have been prioritizing again. Mullins would really bring an interesting collection of skills to teams looking for a difference maker at the deadline. Mullins, like Cruz, can add that, although he doesn’t have near the hitting of Cruz (although he does have power).
Mullins is hitting for more power this season, but his average is down. It could be his push for more impactful hits on a team in desperation mode. Going to a contending team where he can fit in the middle of the lineup could help him be a better hitter overall. He’s also a free agent at the end of the season, so he could either be a rental or a player that the team looks to re-sign.
While we think the Mets and Phillies will also be in on Mullins, and it would be a very easy trip to either stadium, the Dodgers stand out here. They don’t need him, per se, but he would be a player who could fill into all three outfield spots. It just seems like a Dodgers thing to do.
5. Adolis Garcia
Texas Rangers
Might as well stick in the outfield here, as there are multiple really solid options for teams to target at the deadline. It feels like forever ago that the Texas Rangers finally won their first World Series, and they seem to be paying the price ever since. The Rangers surprisingly missed the playoffs last year, but everyone expected a bounce-back this season. Not so much.
As of this writing, the Rangers are below .500 and 8.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West. In a perfect world, they would still be considered in this thing, but they need to be realistic and make the most of their roster. Adolis Garcia makes a ton of sense as a trade piece.
Garcia’s fall from grace is one of the reasons the Rangers haven’t hit expectations two years in a row, but the 32-year-old is far from useless in the lineup. He has 13 home runs and 56 RBIs this season. He has three home runs in his past four games going into the Break, which might show he’s heating up at the right time.
We can see multiple teams near the playoff bubble targeting Garcia. Teams looking to take a chance without spending the farm will be looking at him, like the Cincinnati Reds. However, we think his hot streak continues and he ends up in a bigger market. Does he make sense for the Detroit Tigers? It feels like a fit.
6. Luis Robert Jr.
Chicago White Sox
It seems like Luis Robert Jr. is a case of a team holding onto a player too long. It seems inevitable that he is going to be traded this season, but his .190 average and just nine home runs aren’t exactly going to demand a massive return for the South Siders.
Robert is having a rough season, but spending your career in the doldrums that is the bottom of the AL Central standings will have an impact on an athlete. Robert was once a promising outfielder who was supposed to be here when the White Sox were ready to compete. Now, a competing White Sox team looks as elusive as Robert’s breakout.
Robert has only played center field in the majors, which can be a plus for some teams, but most teams are looking for outfield depth that can move around. His hitting doesn’t warrant a demand of any kind when it comes to position, so the White Sox would be smart to start playing him at the corner outfield positions to get him ready.
There are multiple teams reportedly in on the 27-year-old, but the San Diego Padres stand out. They’ve taken chances on talent in the past and have been willing to slightly overpay. That feels like a match made in White Sox Heaven.
7. Jake Bird
Colorado Rockies
We knew there had to be someone from the Colorado Rockies on this team. They are one of the worst teams in baseball history. Heck, they are one of the worst teams in the history of North American sports.
We suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that there’s not much that other teams would want from this roster, but it was a little shocking it was this barren. Still, Jake Bird is a quality piece that would do well with a change of scenery. The 29-year-old relief pitcher somehow has an ERA under 4.00 despite a. Playing on this team and b. Playing half his games at Coors Field.
The relief pitcher probably isn’t going to many situations and becoming the closer, but relief pitching depth is something literally every team in the league could use right now. Every single playoff team would welcome Bird on their roster today.
Because of the movement of relief pitchers, it’s hard to predict where Bird might land, but for the sake of this article, we’ll go with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubbies are leading their division going into the Break and are coming off a series win against the Yankees. We think they’ll be very active in upgrading their roster and keep the wins coming.
8. Josh Naylor
Arizona Diamondbacks
It wasn’t long ago that the Arizona Diamondbacks were adding Josh Naylor in their own trade to upgrade the roster. They got him from the Cleveland Guardians, but the returns haven’t been there. Naylor has been fine, but the D-Backs haven’t been good since they lost the 2023 World Series.
Naylor is a first baseman, which will come at a premium this deadline. There aren’t many available, and Naylor is already heavily tied to the Seattle Mariners. However, we think a team is going to come over the top with an offer.
A team that was once making calls on their behalf to sell off their assets is now in the position to buy. That’s the Boston Red Sox. Even with their ownership being notoriously cheap, they can’t ignore the momentum they’ve had since the Devers trade. They desperately need pop in their lineup. They will get it soon with Alex Bregman returning to the lineup, but they need more.
And they could use a first baseman to provide that pop. Naylor is hitting close to .300 with decent power statistics. We could see the Sox, with one of the best prospect pools in baseball, pulling the trigger on a surprising move like this.
9. Eugenio Suarez
Arizona Diamondbacks
Many believe the Diamondbacks are looking to revamp the roster. They might be buyers in some sense, but they are definitely selling off multiple pieces. Eugeuno Suarez is the most intriguing hitter they can conceivably offer.
Suarez is a fantastic hitter that would help many teams, but here’s the kicker: there aren’t many infielders available. This will get the Diamondbacks a premium, even beyond what a player like Suarez usually brings.
He might be the best player left on the market, and teams are going to fight hard for a guy who already has 31 home runs and 78 RBIs on the season. Even with his status as a free agent after this season, a team that’s desperate is making this move. A team with World Series aspirations will sell off the assets to get him.
Enter the New York Yankees. They desperately need an infielder to round out this lineup. They just cut D.J. Lemathieu from the lineup. Anthony Volpe has been terrible. Last year’s acquisition Jazz Chisholm has been good, but he’s too inconsistent. They need someone to come in, play third base, and hit home runs.
10. Kyle Finnegan
Washington Nationals
We end this list with another relief pitcher on an awful team. It’s a tale as old as time. Bad teams don’t have much use for a closer when they can’t get anything out of the starter. So, let’s find a new home for Washington Nationals’ closer Kyle Finnegan.
Finnegan is ideally a setup man at his next stop because he doesn’t necessarily have “hit-and-miss” stuff, but he can get outs. That’s what matters. He already has 18 saves on the paltry Nationals this season. It’s not exactly All-Star worthy like it was last season, but he’s doing his job and could have a career-high in ERA.
Finnegan is later in his career than some teams would like (33 years old), but he’s a quality arm that deserves a chance to do something in the playoffs.
Like with all relievers, finding his next home is not an easy endeavor. We’re going to go with the New York Mets because we feel like Steve Cohen really wants to go for it this year. After signing Juan Soto, he’d like to make calculated risks with the rest of the roster in an attempt to get past the Dodgers in the National League.