MLB Power Rankings: The most likely trade candidate from all 30 MLB teams

With the MLB trade deadline just over a month away, this week's MLB Power Rankings will focus on just that, rather than the typical version. While July is just around the corner, it's a bit too early to definitively declare most MLB teams buyers or sellers. The likes of the Pirates, Athletics, White Sox and Rockies have been taking calls for quite some time, but others, such as the Orioles, Braves, Royals and White Sox are stuck somewhere in the middle.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, Yankees, Cubs and Tigers are fighting over the same scraps, in hopes that as pretenders fall out of their respective races, they'll finally be open to trading away players on expiring contracts at the very least.

Rafael Devers was the first big domino to fall, and few saw that trade coming. ESPN's Jeff Passan listed Alex Bregman and Jarren Duran of the Red Sox as the two best deadline prizes remaining just last week, while Sandy Alcantara and Luis Robert Jr. are among the most likely stars dealt.

MLB Power Rankings: How we ranked every team

While this week's MLB Power Rankings is primarily based on the trade deadline, the teams and their most likely trade asset will be listed in order from pretender to contender. In that sense, the most interesting teams could very well be the pretenders, as they have the most to gain at the deadline in terms of prospect capital. Contenders, meanwhile, must balance organizational balance with the desire to win now.

30. Colorado Rockies, Jake Bird

Record: 19-65

The Colorado Rockies probably won’t finish with the worst record in modern MLB history as once feared, but at 19-65, they’re still a disaster. They’ll be sellers, but wondering how much they’ll be willing to sell given their recent history is a question worth asking.

The Rockies might be attached to Ryan McMahon for reasons I cannot comprehend, but I do have hope (perhaps delusionally so) that Colorado will do the right thing and trade Jake Bird, though. Bird has a 2.76 ERA in 35 appearances and 45.2 innings of work, and he’s struck out 56 batters on the year (11.0 K/9). He’s impressed, especially for a reliever who has pitched half the time at Coors Field for the worst team in the sport.

The Rockies can get a ton for multiple years of a guy who could prove to be incredibly impactful for a contender down the stretch. Hopefully, they take advantage of this opportunity and sell high for once.

-Zach Rotman, staff writer at FanSided.com

29. Chicago White Sox, Luis Robert Jr. or bullpen help

Record: 28-56

The White Sox continue their transition from “historically, nigh-unfathomably awful” to “just bad in a normal way”, taking a weekend series with the Giants to finish this week at 3-3. The bad news, though, is that the team also lost Luis Robert Jr. to a hamstring injury, which might force them to hold on to their mercurial outfielder until at least the winter – and force us all to deal with several more months of “will they, won’t they” trade discourse.

If Robert has indeed taken himself off the market, Chicago probably won’t be huge players at the deadline, with just some relief depth and a couple of rotation rental vets in Aaron Civale and Adrian Houser. But Colson Montgomery is heating up at Triple-A, Kyle Teel is swinging the bat better of late and maybe, just maybe, the beginnings of an exciting young core are taking shape.

-Chris Landers, editor at FanSided.com

28. Athletics, Luis Severino

Record: 34-52

This week proved to be as daunting as it felt it would be, as the Athletics lost back-to-back road series against the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees this week, falling to 34-51 overall. Gone are the days where MLB fans thought this A’s team might steal a postseason spot. They will be clear sellers.

Given how mightily Luis Severino has struggled, particularly at “home,” he feels like the best bet to get dealt. In fact, he’s found himself in trade rumors already. With the number of teams that will be seeking starting pitching help at the deadline increasing seemingly by the day, the A’s should draw tons of interest for this veteran who did enter Sunday’s action with a sparkling 2.27 ERA on the road.

-ZR

27. Pittsburgh Pirates, expiring contracts or Mitch Keller

Record: 35-50

The Pirates swept the Mets this weekend but it would take a few more sweeps for the team to change course on their plans at the trade deadline. Pittsburgh is 14.5 games out of first and 12 games back of the Wild Card.

It's widely known that the Bucs will be sellers at the deadline, with Paul Skenes and Andrew McCutchen seen as the only untouchables. But there are tons of trade candidates to choose from, especially players on expiring contracts (i.e. Andrew Heaney, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Caleb Ferguson, Adam Frazier, Ryan Borucki, and Tommy Pham).

However, as Pirates beat writer Alex Stumpf points out, pitchers with team control are their biggest trade chips. Mitch Keller seems to be floating around as a target for teams and it would make sense as he has three years left on his five-year, $77 million contract. His cost through those remaining years is likely too steep for the Pirates approach, and he would be a welcome addition to the middle of any contender's rotation.

-Steven Teal, House That Hank Built

26. Washington Nationals, Kyle Finnegan

Record: 35-49

The Washington Nationals were able to play .500 ball this past week out west, but they still sit 3.0 games back of the Miami Marlins for fourth place in the NL East. Yes, it’s been that bad. The Nationals do have several intriguing pieces headlined by James Wood, C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore (thanks A.J. Preller), but the supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired.

With where the Nats are record-wise, selling is the only option. As for who gets dealt, the answer should be Kyle Finnegan, who is having another strong year as the team’s closer. The Nationals did not trade him at last year’s deadline for whatever reason, but can, and should, take advantage of a clear seller’s market this time around. Virtually every contender needs bullpen help this time of year, and Finnegan should be one of the best options available.

-ZR

25. Miami Marlins, Edward Cabrera

Record: 37-45

Don’t look now, but the Miami Marlins have won three straight series and have somewhat of a young core assembling in front of our eyes. Kyle Stowers has gotten going at the plate again, Agustin Ramirez continues to impress, and while he hasn’t pitched well yet, Eury Perez will eventually get it going. His stuff already looks absurdly dynamic.

Despite their recent hot streak, the Marlins will be sellers, but they’ll at least enter the deadline with some momentum. Given how poorly he’s pitched, I believe the Marlins should hold onto Sandy Alcantara and hope he can improve down the stretch before they think about trading him in the offseason or at next year’s deadline. Instead, the Marlins should take advantage of a recent Edward Cabrera hot stretch and trade him while his value is as high as it’s been in quite some time, if not ever.

We saw Peter Bendix do this with Trevor Rogers last season and look like a genius, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the same thing happen with Cabrera. The right-hander is entering his second arbitration year this winter, and the odds of the team being competitive during his arbitration window are incredibly slim. There’s nothing more valuable in the game right now than multiple cheap years of a starting pitcher. Cabrera can bring back a return that’ll be too good for the Marlins to ignore.

-ZR

24. Baltimore Orioles, Ryan O'Hearn

Record: 36-47

The O’s offense appears to be waking up, with Saturday’s 22-run outburst capping what’s been a bounce-back month overall even despite the injury to Adley Rutschman. The problem is that, despite posting a top-10 OPS in June, they’re still just 15-11 for the month – and when you dig yourself as big a hole as Baltimore did, simply being pretty good isn’t good enough.

Can the Orioles be more than that and really put some fear into what has become a wide-open AL East race? It’s hard to say that the answer is “yes” unless something changes for this rotation, and it’s not clear right now what that something would be. Zach Eflin has been a disaster, and while Charlie Morton has gotten better since his nightmare start, none of the O’s healthy starters have given us much evidence to think that they can get hot and carry a team. And it’s awfully hard to go on a run when you can’t rely on quality pitching for more than a couple of days in a row.

So, if Baltimore does indeed face the music and decide to sell, who’ll be on the block? Look to a trio of pending free agents: DH Ryan O’Hearn is in the midst of a career year, Morton has rebuilt some of his value and could entice someone in such a thin pitching market and Cedric Mullins holds some appeal despite his recent slump at the plate.

-CL

23. Kansas City Royals, Seth Lugo

Record: 39-45

The air continued to come out of the balloon in Kansas City this week. Sure, series against the Rays and Dodgers were a tough draw, but you would’ve liked to have come away with more than one win in six games – or, you know, more than one game in which you scored more than four runs.

But alas, that’s how things have gone this season for the Royals, whose follow-up to last year’s ALDS run has been undone by a downright dismal offense. Kansas City is surely loath to become sellers at the deadline, but at this point they’re 39-45 with a full six teams between themselves and the third and final AL Wild Card spot (and Cole Ragans still on the IL). J.J. Picollo has vowed to buy if his team is within “striking distance,” but right now it feels much more likely that the Royals will decide to cut their losses and retool for 2026, with just $50 million in guaranteed money on the books and plenty of options to build around Bobby Witt Jr.

To do so, why not move righty Seth Lugo? Pitching has not been this team’s problem, and the righty could become a free agent this winter if he declines his player option. He’s in the midst of another very solid season, but he’s also a 35-year-old overperforming his underlying metrics. Sell high here.

-CL

22. Minnesota Twins, Willi Castro

Record: 40-44

Minnesota looks more and more dead in the water by the day, and amid a financial shortfall, the team could look to go full teardown and consider moving names like Pablo Lopez and Jhoan Duran. For now, though, we’ll assume that they aren’t willing to get quite that drastic and move star players who still have years of team control – this team shouldn’t be that far away from contending again in the near future, after all.

But that’s almost certainly not going to come this season, with another loss on Sunday dropping the team to 40-44 on the year. If this doesn’t turn around soon, a qualified sell should be on the table, and there are plenty of pending free agents to choose from. Utility man Willi Castro would fit just about every contender thanks to his athleticism and defensive versatility, and he’s also hitting the ball very well this season (121 OPS+).

-CL

21. Atlanta Braves, Marcell Ozuna

Record: 38-45

The Atlanta Braves find themselves in a peculiar situation as they sit in third place in the NL East. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has stated the team isn't looking to move any players who are contracted beyond this season. He made it known that lefty Chris Sale will not be traded at the deadline.

Now, he did mention they would re-evaluate if things changed drastically, This leaves the door open if the worst-case scenario were to happen. Atlanta is currently 10.5 games back of first place and eight games back in the NL Wild Card. If they were to sell at the deadline, players in the final year of their contract would be up for grabs, such as Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias.

Ozuna feels like the most likely option to be dealt if Atlanta decides to let him go. He is in a bit of a cold streak right now which may affect his trade value. But the Braves also highly value his leadership in the clubhouse, so don't expect them to part with him unless the deal makes sense.

-Steven Teal

20. Cleveland Guardians, Lane Thomas or Carlos Santana

Record: 40-42

The Guardians are one of MLB’s best at weaving the line between buyer and seller, but they might need to pick a lane this year. 

They opened last week two games above .500, but enter this one two games under that mark thanks to a horrible week against the Blue Jays and Cardinals.

The biggest roadblock to them becoming a full-blown seller might be the lack of pieces. Could they convince anyone to take a flier on a struggling Lane Thomas? What about a 39-year-old Carlos Santana? Shane Bieber would be on the block if he was healthy, but he still hasn’t returned this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. 

And if that wasn’t enough, Gabriel Arias had to be carted off the field on Sunday with an ankle injury. It’s getting late early in Cleveland. 

-Henry Palattella, Away Back Gone

19. Boston Red Sox, Aroldis Chapman

Record: 41-44

Last we checked, Craig Breslow was still adamant about this team being a buyer at the trade deadline. But as the calendar flips to July, Boston is coming off a week in which it lost five of six – including an embarrassing sweep against the Angels and a series loss at home against a Blue Jays team they’re looking up at in the Wild Card standings. All of which begs the question: How long is the leash here?

Alex Bregman isn’t due back until after the All-Star Game, and with Rafael Devers gone and the Big Three either back in Triple-A or (understandably!) struggling to adjust to life in the Majors, this lineup doesn’t have the requisite star power to make up for a pitching staff that simply hasn’t come together behind Garrett Crochet. We’re going to operate under the assumption that this team is selling until it proves otherwise, and if that’s the case, there’s zero reason not to move pending free agent Aroldis Chapman as long as he keeps pitching like this (1.36 ERA, 48 Ks in 33 innings).

-CL

18. Los Angeles Angels, Tyler Anderson or Luis Rengifo

Record: 41-42

The Angels ought to deploy both a buy and sell strategy at the trade deadline.

The Halos have a couple assets in Tyler Anderson and Luis Rengifo who are both on expiring contracts, have retained their trade value despite underperforming this year and are replaceable with either internal or external options. If the team knows they will not attempt a reunion in free agency with either player, they should dump them now in pursuit of a couple intriguing prospects to bolster their flawed (to say the least) pipeline. 

Yoán Moncada eventually has to come back from his knee injury to take Rengifo’s spot as the team’s starting third baseman. Anderson can be replaced by one of the team’s MLB-ready prospects (Caden Dana or Sam Aldegherio perhaps) or via a separate trade to bring in a better No. 3 starter. A Rengifo trade seems more likely as of now, he is more valuable to another team (like the Yankees) than to the Angels. 

As previously stated, the Angels have minimal talent in their farm system and would likely need to include a top prospect to swing a trade for a solid big leaguer. Joswa Lugo is an 18-year-old shortstop prospect in the ACL who could headline a deal given that he is a true five-tool guy. 

-Evan Roberts, Halo Hangout

17. Arizona Diamondbacks, Eugenio Suarez

Record: 41-42

Just when it looked like the Arizona Diamondbacks were going to make the trade deadline decision for Mike Hazen difficult after sweeping the Chicago White Sox to begin their week, the Diamondbacks lost a home series to the Marlins. Not only did they lose the series, but they lost the first two games despite scoring 15 runs combined in those contests and saw their bullpen blow up three days in a row. The pitching, especially with all of the injuries, just isn’t good enough to justify buying.

The Diamondbacks should strongly consider a hard sell, especially given their long list of veterans on expiring contracts and how difficult the National League is right now. While I don’t think they’ll go that far, at least not right now, I do think a trade involving Eugenio Suarez is realistic. Suarez is having a phenomenal season and would bring back a huge return while also opening up a spot for top prospect Jordan Lawlar to slot in full-time. It makes perfect sense.

-ZR

16. Texas Rangers, Alejandro Rosario

Record: 41-43

Who knows what the Rangers are liable to do at the deadline. A frustrating extra-innings loss to the Mariners on Sunday dropped the team to 41-43, and they’ve been middling for some three months now. Still, they’re far from out of it in the wide-open AL, and this is a team committed to maximizing its current window. 

If they were open to selling, that would seem to spell the end of Adolis Garcia’s time in Texas, but I have a hard time believing Chris Young pulls the trigger there. But how can this team buy? Top prospect Sebastian Walcott is untouchable, and there’s not a ton of depth behind him. Maybe the Rangers can talk the Braves into forking over Marcell Ozuna for a package built around Alejandro Rosario – currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he underwent back in February, the righty was tearing up the Minors before he went down and could give Atlanta some desperately needed pitching depth.

-CL

15. Cincinnati Reds, Edwin Arroyo

Record: 44-40

The Reds have found their energy at the exact right time, winning six of their most recent seven series and surging into a Monday set at Fenway Park with a Will Benson walk-off and Gladiatorial celebration at first base.

Or … did they actually hit their stride at the most confounding time possible, muddying the waters between buying and selling as they narrow the Wild Card gap to just 2.5 games?

Luis Robert Jr. has been a long-rumored Reds target; he’s currently languishing on the White Sox bench, nursing an injury and formally hitting the 10-Day on Sunday afternoon. The Reds’ front office owes the legendary Terry Francona a genuine “go-for-it” shot, and they proved last week that they’re willing to take pricier chances than they normally would, eating $22.5 million to DFA, and then formally release, Jeimer Candelario. Nick Krall was blunt on Candelario’s way out the door as well, stating, “You have to look at it as a sunk cost if he’s not going to help you. We’re in a better spot with the players we have here.”

After the formal announcement of Jake Fraley’s partially torn labrum, expect the “players we have here” to soon include an additional right-handed hitting outfielder, whether they’ve shot for the stars with Robert Jr. or settled for someone like Alex Call of the Washington Nationals. The somewhat redundant Edwin Arroyo, an infielder who arrived in the Luis Castillo trade who ranks No. 5 in the Reds’ system (per MLB Pipeline), could be a deal’s centerpiece if Cincinnati goes a bit bolder.

-Adam Weinrib, The Baseball Insiders

14. Seattle Mariners, Harry Ford

Record: 43-40

The Mariners check all the boxes for a team that should throw its weight around at the trade deadline. They are firmly in the American League playoff race, and they have a front office that is willing to push the envelope and a veritable ark of hot-shot prospects to deal.

If it’s a question of which of those youngsters is most likely to go, speculation has mostly centered on catcher Harry Ford. And for good reason! He has recently skyrocketed his value with a scorching stretch (.343/.430/.536 in 42 games) since the beginning of May. Meanwhile, that the Mariners already have a pretty good catcher is no longer a local opinion.

This said, the Mariners think very highly of Ford and were ready to debut him on Friday before Mitch Garver’s injury situation proved to be a false alarm. Such things could help Seattle’s leverage if Ford is coveted by other teams in the next few weeks, but he may not be as much of a goner as the rampant speculation would suggest.

-Zachary Rymer, SoDo Mojo

13. Toronto Blue Jays, Orelvis Martinez

Record: 45-38

The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in a weird position with one of their top prospects, Orelvis Martinez. The power hitting infielder was on a track to getting some meaningful reps at the big league level in 2024 - but after his MLB debut in June, he was handed an 80-game PED suspension that derailed his momentum.

He’s been in Triple-A with Buffalo all year and hasn’t been very productive with a .194/.283/.370 slash line and just nine home runs. He’s also struck out 75 times in 65 games. Despite his underperformance this season his power potential remains attractive, with 119 minor league home runs over five years. His value is not as high as it once was, but there are reasons to dream on his offensive abilities.

He’s Toronto’s third ranked prospect and that still carries some weight – but for how long remains to be seen if Martinez continues to hit at a below-average pace. The Blue Jays will likely want to find an upgrade for their bullpen at the deadline and while Martinez might not be enough for a one-for-one deal, he could be what gets a deal to the finish line.

-Matthew Sookram, Jays Journal

12. San Francisco Giants, Carson Whisenhunt

Record: 45-39

The SF Giants already made their big move ahead of the deadline by acquiring slugger Rafael Devers. Yet, after getting swept by the Miami Marlins and then losing two out of three games to the Chicago White Sox somehow the offense seems even worse after the Devers trade.

Could president of baseball operations Buster Posey hit the panic button and make another move? If he does, do not expect him to trade top prospect Bryce Eldridge. While the left-handed bat is currently dealing with a hamstring issue, the Giants do not want to get rid of him and they were unwilling to include him in the Devers trade.

Instead, San Francisco could look to trade their top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt for a bat. The southpaw has shown promise in Triple-A despite some rough starts as of late. With a wicked changeup and high upside, the Giants could deal him in exchange for an impact player on offense to try and make things click.

-Nick San Miguel, Around the Foghorn

11. St. Louis Cardinals, Erick Fedde

Record: 47-38

The Cardinals, who many expected to have a down 2025 season and be sellers this year, are now nine games above .500, currently hold the third NL Wild Card, and are within striking distance of the first-place Cubs in the NL Central.

With all of that being said, the Cardinals find themselves in a complicated position at this deadline, as they want to maintain “runway” for their young talent while also continuing to win ballgames. This may lead to the Cardinals still “selling” at the deadline, just not as aggressively as once thought, while adding a few pieces on the margins to shore up problems like the need for another right-handed bat and some bullpen support. I do not anticipate them doing anything that would get in the way of playing their young guys.

One name that feels likely to be on the move is starting pitcher Erick Fedde. Fedde, whom the Cardinals acquired in the Tommy Edman trade last deadline, is in the final year of his contract and was making just $7.5 million this year, so he is making relatively little money for someone who profiles as a middle or back-end of the rotation veteran starter. With Michael McGreevy ready for a rotation spot, Steven Matz as veteran depth hybrid reliever/spot starter role, and both top pitching prospects Quinn Mathews and Tekoah Roby finding success in Triple-A, the Cardinals could move Fedde while having the necessary pitching depth to continue their improbable run in 2025. 

Fedde is sporting a 4.11 ERA in 16 starts this year, and while that has ballooned a bit due to a rough outing against the Cubs this week, multiple teams expressed interest in acquiring Fedde from the Cardinals this offseason, and could be a valuable addition to a contending rotation looking to cover innings down the stretch.

-Josh Jacobs, Redbird Rants

10. San Diego Padres, Braden Nett

Record: 45-38

San Diego is struggling to keep pace with the Dodgers in the NL West, but AJ Preller is pot-committed to trying to contend in 2025 – and the team is still tied in the loss column for the final NL Wild Card spot despite losing two of three to the Reds this weekend. The needs are obvious: more pitching depth, but more importantly, a functional left fielder to fill what has been a black hole all season long.

Acquiring those things could be a bit trickier. This isn’t the deepest farm system, and the team is loath to touch its top two prospects, shortstop Leo de Vries and catcher Ethan Salas. But a pitcher like Braden Nett could intrigue rebuilding teams at the deadline; he’s finally gotten his control issues a bit more under control at Double-A this season, and his stuff has never been in question.

-CL

9. Tampa Bay Rays, Pete Fairbanks

Record: 47-37

Tampa let slip a golden opportunity to catch the Yankees atop the division this weekend, dropping two of three to the O’s despite scoring a combined 20 runs. But there’s still a ton to feel good about here, from the surging Josh Lowe and Yandy Diaz buoying a lineup that is once again punching above its weight to a rotation that’s starting to really round into form. 

Granted, Ryan Pepiot and Taj Bradley didn’t exactly show it in Baltimore, and there’s still some maddening inconsistency that short-circuits the oodles of talent the Rays have in their rotation. But if those two, plus Shane Baz, can ever string a few solid weeks together in a row, there’s no reason why this team can’t go shot for shot with New York – heck, they might even be better. 

If there’s a fly in the ointment here, it’s that Tampa’s usual M.O. at the deadline is to stay one step ahead with its pending free agents (most notably Brandon Lowe and closer Pete Fairbanks). One way to split the difference: closer Pete Fairbanks, whose option for 2026 could wind up topping the $10 million mark. That’s a lot to pay for a reliever, and a team that develops pitching like Tampa could flip Fairbanks for help elsewhere and not miss a beat.

-CL

8. Milwaukee Brewers, Jose Quintana or Nestor Cortes

Record: 47-37

Despite the sour taste left in the mouth of Brewers fans after an extra-inning loss in their series finale against the Rockies on Sunday afternoon, it was another strong week for the Crew. Milwaukee won each of their two series, dropped one game to each of the Pirates and Rockies, and finished the week with a 4-2 record.

As the Brewers enter trade season just two games back of the Cubs in the NL Central, and squarely in the middle of the NL Wild Card race, the team could look to improve around the margins of their roster, particularly their bench. Though the Crew is currently getting consistent production up and down their everyday lineup, they are hardly ever turning to their bench pieces. The front office could use their abundant starting pitching depth to add a veteran bat who can impact the game with high-leverage pinch-hit at-bats late in the game or by filling in for the Brewers’ young position players should they struggle down the stretch.

If they do opt to move a starting pitcher, it will likely be either José Quintana or Nestor Cortes, should the latter return with enough time to prove his trade value prior to next month’s deadline. Quintana and Cortes are both free agents after the season and don’t factor into the Brewers’ future rotation plans. To avoid trading from their major league pitching staff, Matt Arnold and company could instead deal from their farm system to acquire an impact bat. If they do decide to move a prospect, Coleman Crow, who is Rule-5 eligible at season’s end, or Alexander Cornielle, who is having a breakout season in Double-A, should both be able to net a sizable return.

-Owen Jonas, Reviewing the Brew

7. New York Mets, Luisangel Acuña

Record: 48-37

Identifying exactly which minor leaguer the New York Mets will trade in their attempt to win a championship isn’t exactly the easiest task. David Stearns operates in his own, sometimes unique way. Do they settle with simple one-for-one swaps like last year’s trade deadline or go bigger?

Regardless of whether they put together a monster package or look to trade expendable pieces for big league help, it’s Luisangel Acuna who feels most likely to rent an apartment somewhere else. Acuna was recently demoted by the Mets in favor of having journeyman Travis Jankowski on the roster. Acuna was barely playing beyond late pinch running opportunities and some defense for the final outs.

The Mets have made it abundantly clear they are more intrigued by what Ronny Mauricio can offer them. With the demotion, the final minor league option is on the verge of being officially burned through as long as Acuna remains in the minors long enough. Acuna for a bullpen arm? It’s a realistic outcome.

Tim Boyle, Rising Apple

6. New York Yankees, Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham

Record: 48-35

Was a matchup against old friend Luis Severino the thing this offense (and more specifically Aaron Judge) needed to finally get back on track? New York will have to hope so, because while Marcus Stroman pitched well in his return on Sunday, the Yankees can no longer rely on their pitching staff to carry them. And they’re about to embark on a stretch that could define their season, and the AL pennant race: a road trip to Toronto, a Subway Series rematch with the Mets, a homestand against the Cubs and Mariners leading into the All-Star break and then Atlanta-Philly-Toronto to start the second half.

That’s not exactly easy living, and while the Yankees are still a very good team, the cracks in the foundation have begun to show in recent weeks. The rotation is hurting until Luis Gil comes back, the bullpen isn’t as deep as previously thought and the young breakout bats that were powering one of baseball’s best lineups have all hit a snag at largely the same time. To address those needs, Brian Cashman could dangle either of his top two picks from last year’s draft, righties Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham – both are tearing it up at High-A, and both fit the profile that the Yankees excel at replacing via drafting and development. 

-CL

5. Chicago Cubs, Triple-A talent

Record: 49-35

Put pictures of all the Chicago Cubs’ top prospects on your wall and throw a dart. With Matt Shaw and Cade Horton having graduated to  the big-league club, anyone still remaining in the minors is fair game heading into a critical trade deadline for Jed Hoyer and the front office.

Chicago is actively looking for upgrades in the starting rotation and bullpen, and are rumored to be keeping tabs on bench bats and potential third base solutions given Shaw’s offensive struggles in his rookie season. Given how crowded the buyer’s market is for starting pitching, if the Cubs want a true ace, it might take packaging multiple of their top 100 talents to separate themselves from the pack.

That means you could see names like Kevin Alcantara, Owen Caissie, Moises Ballesteros and James Triantos on the move. I suspect they’ll deal from the Triple-A talent, as opposed to highly-regarded low-level guys, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see two or even three of their top talents moved.

-Jake Misener, Cubbies Crib

4. Houston Astros, Anderson Brito

Record: 50-34

The Houston Astros had an impressive week, facing off against a pair of NL Contenders in the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs. After sweeping the Phillies, they welcomed home old friend Kyle Tucker and took two out of three from his Cubs.

Despite being ravaged by injuries, Houston is proving that they're for real. While it may not have appeared so in the early going, their attempt to thread the needle between contending and a youth movement is working. Still, this is a roster that desperately needs a lefty bat and starting pitching depth.

Top prospects Brice Matthews, Jacob Melton, Walker Janek, and Luis Ullola are likely untouchable. Beyond that, everyone in the dismally ranked system is up for grabs. It will all depend on what their trading partners want, but AJ Blubaugh, despite his 6.97 ERA at Triple-A Sugar Land, or Hi-A strikeout artist Anderson Brito, are the most likely to go. For the purposes of this exercise, we'll pick Brito as the most likely to be traded, given his ceiling as well as his distance from making a big league impact.

-Stephen Parello, Climbing Tal’s Hill

3. Philadelphia Phillies, Justin Crawford

Record: 49-35

The Philadelphia Phillies were able to salvage their week by winning two-of-three against the Atlanta Braves, but outside of their 13-run outburst on Friday night, they scored two runs or fewer in the other five games they played. We know this Phillies rotation is good, and we know that their bullpen is going to get an addition or two by July’s trade deadline, but when is it time to panic about the state of the offense? It feels like when Kyle Schwarber isn’t crushing the baseball, the offense just falls flat. There isn’t much to get excited about outside of Schwarber, Trea Turner, and I guess Alec Bohm, who has looked great after a rough April. 

What the Phillies should do is go all-in and trade a top prospect like Aidan Miller, Eduardo Tait, or even Mick Abel for a game-changing bat. Dave Dombrowski, for whatever reason, has shied away from making the massive blockbuster he’s been known for in other organizations, though. Hopefully, this year will be different in that regard.

In that vein, I’ll predict the Phillies part with Justin Crawford at the deadline for the simple reason that they don’t seem to believe in him enough to have given him a look by this point. Crawford is one of their top prospects and he’s torn up Triple-A this season, yet, despite their outfield play this season, they haven’t given him the call. I get the concerns with his hit tool, but it’s still surprising that he hasn’t gotten a look. If they don’t feel comfortable playing him in the majors at this point, they might as well see what they can get for him at the deadline.

-ZR

2. Detroit Tigers, Thayron Liranzo or Jose Briceno

Record: 53-32

Sure, they don’t quite look like the world-beaters they did to start the year, going 15-11 this month after posting a combined record of 37-18 across April and May. But these gritty Tigs show no signs of fading in the second half, especially not if Riley Greene keeps hitting like an MVP candidate. 

This has been a top-five offense in the sport by OPS this season – it was top-two June – and there’s far more pitching depth behind Tarik Skubal in 2025 than there was in 2024. (Though a rough series in the bandbox of Tampa this week did shake that confidence at least a little bit.) Still, holes remain, from the rotation to the bullpen and beyond.

The good news is that Scott Harris sure sounds like he wants to get aggressive at the deadline, and he has one of the best farm systems in baseball at his disposal. Shortstop Bryce Rainer’s injury likely removes him from consideration, but one of Detroit’s pair of top young catchers (Thayron Liranzo, Jose Briceno) could be expendable.

-CL

1. Los Angeles Dodgers, James Outman

Record: 53-32

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the clear favorites to repeat as World Series champions despite their myriad of injuries. They’re going to be searching mainly for pitching upgrades, and have a lot to offer selling teams.

I’ll peg James Outman as the most likely trade candidate. The Dodgers will surely trade some prospects, but Outman feels like a prime change of scenery candidate. He looked like a budding star in his rookie year back in 2023, but hasn’t played much at the MLB level since. He has crushed the ball in Triple-A this season, and can absolutely net the Dodgers a decent return whether MLB fans want to see that or not.