Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The MLB trade deadline approaches with several teams stuck between buying and selling as playoff races tighten.
- The Rangers face a pivotal decision on Corey Seager that could reshape their roster construction over the next several seasons.
- The Braves' pursuit of veteran pitching now hinges on an unexpected surge by the Red Sox.
The MLB trade deadline is less than a month away, and it feels like we don't know what most of the teams are going to do. Sure, we know that teams like the Dodgers and Braves are going to buy, and we know that the Rockies and Giants are going to sell, but what about the teams in the middle? The playoff races are so congested in both leagues, making it difficult for clubs to choose a direction.
The latest MLB rumors, courtesy of Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic ($), cover some of those teams and players who could be placed on the block if they decide to sell.
Rangers face difficult decision with Corey Seager
The Texas Rangers are in a bit of a weird spot. On one hand, they're a .500 team, and haven't been more than two games over .500 since late March. On the other hand, they're just 0.5 games out of first place in the AL West and, when healthy, have a roster with some very talented pieces. As of now, since they're right in the thick of their division race, it doesn't make much sense for them to sell, but this team hasn't been consistently good all year. If they dip in the standings, they could consider selling, and that, per Rosenthal, could even include a trade involving Corey Seager.
Now, Rosenthal made it clear that a Seager trade is unlikely, saying, "The Rangers don’t want to part with Seager, mind you. They want to get him healthy and make a legitimate run at the postseason." But he also said, "But if they sputter over the next three-plus weeks, the idea of moving Seager will at least warrant internal discussion."
The goal is to compete with Seager, but if they fall out of contention in the next three-plus weeks, the idea of moving the shortstop will need to be considered. This makes a lot of sense.
Nobody in Texas wants to move the 2023 World Series MVP, but this franchise has trended in the wrong direction ever since winning the World Series, and Seager is part of the reason why. As great a player as he is, he played in just 123 games in 2024, 102 games in 2025, and he's appeared in 51 games this season. While injuries haven't slowed his production down at all in past year, he's hit just .182 with a .667 OPS this season.
He's certainly better than that, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility that Seager, a 32-year-old with a lengthy injury history, is declining. Knowing that, do the Rangers really want to be on the hook for the remaining five years of his 10-year, $325 million pact with the club? If the answer is no, trading him now, when he can veto trades to eight teams, makes more sense than when he gains a full no-trade clause over the offseason. He'd gain 10-5 rights this winter with the Rangers this offseason, having spent 10 years in the major leagues and five years with the club. If they want to trade him, this could be the last chance for them to cash in prospect-wise and do so without needing his approval.
Red Sox streak could impact Braves-Sonny Gray plans
It's no secret that the Atlanta Braves need starting pitching. Martin Perez recently joined AJ Smith-Shawver, Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach on the IL, and as good as Chris Sale still is, it's hard to trust anyone else in their current rotation. Tarik Skubal is the dream addition, but Sonny Gray makes a lot of sense as a fallback, especially since the Braves are presumably a team he'd waive his full no-trade clause for. There is one roadblock, though; the Boston Red Sox might not sell after all.
"Boston wants to see if it could fight its way back into the playoff picture, though people briefed on the club’s thinking suggested the Red Sox will be realistic about their position as the deadline gets closer," Rosenthal wrote.
The Red Sox, a team that looked dead in the water just a couple of weeks ago, have won five games in a row and 10 of their last 12. They've seen their playoff odds rise from 9.4 percent after dropping two of three to the Rockies to 28.6 percent in just a couple of weeks. They're not a playoff team right now, but they're just 3.0 games back of a Wild Card spot. Are we sure they're going to sell?
If the Red Sox are sellers, the Braves and Sonny Gray are a perfect match. That "if" is getting harder to picture, though, and that could make life more difficult for a Braves team that, again, needs impactful starting pitching.
Royals unlikely to trade Michael Wacha or Seth Lugo
While the Red Sox might not be sellers after all, the Kansas City Royals are almost certainly going to be out of contention by the trade deadline. They currently have the second-worst record in the American League and the third-worst record in all of baseball. This will presumably lead them to trade rentals like Lane Thomas and Matt Strahm, but it's entirely possible they might not do much else beyond that based on what Rosenthal had to say about Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, Kansas City's best trade assets.
"About a month ago, The Athletic reported that the Kansas City Royals were not as comfortable trading right-handers Seth Lugo and/or Michael Wacha as they were parting with catcher Freddy Fermin at last year’s deadline. Nothing has changed since, even though the Los Angeles Angels are the only team with a worse record than the Royals in the American League... The Royals, according to people briefed on their plans, are telling clubs they will listen on Lugo and Wacha, but their asks will be massive," Rosenthal wrote.
On one hand, it makes sense that the Royals are asking for a substantial return in exchange for Wacha and/or Lugo, a pair of veteran mid-rotation arms who are under contract through the end of next season. It'd be hard for the Royals to compete next season without them, especially with Cole Ragans expected to be out until the middle of next season and Kris Bubic set to hit free agency this offseason. The Royals don't have much by way of depth.
On the other hand, Wacha is 35 years old, and Lugo is 36 years old. Both are valuable inning-eating mid-rotation arms, but both are overperforming their expected stats. If they're able to sell relatively high on them right now, in what figures to be a seller's market, even if they can't get a "massive" return, does it not make sense to do so and then simply sign a replacement in free agency in the offseason?
It'll be interesting to see what the Royals end up doing with their veteran arms.
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