MLB Trade Deadline Big Board: Ranking the top 25 candidates

There are now officially less than four weeks until the MLB trade deadline, which will arrive at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 3. And it's a good thing that the deadline falls a bit later in the calendar this year, because the topsy-turvy nature of the standings means that we still have very little idea of who will actually be buying and selling when the time comes.

Slowly but surely, though, the picture is becoming clearer. Teams like the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox have come back from the dead of late, while others like the New York Mets, Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays are forcing their front offices' hands.

Which means it's the perfect time to unveil the FanSided MLB Trade Deadline Big Board 1.0, our official ranking of the top 25 players who stand a good chance to be moved between now and early August. Note that we're dealing with realistic trade candidates here, meaning several big names — from Mike Trout to Byron Buxton to Jeremy Peña and more — didn't make the cut. Still, there's plenty of impact talent available as contenders look to load up for the stretch run.

1. Tarik Skubal, LHP, Detroit Tigers

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate
• Potential suitors: Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Cubs, Brewers

I do not envy Scott Harris these days. Not too long ago, it seemed like Detroit would make it easy on him by dropping out of the race entirely, but six wins in their last seven games now has them within five games of the third and final AL Wild Card spot. If that trend continues through the end of July, the Tigers will be hard-pressed to pull the trigger on trading one of the best players in franchise history. Then again, is a below-.500 team really worth not getting anything in return for easily the best asset on the market before he walks in free agency?

2. Joe Ryan, RHP, Minnesota Twins

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate
• Potential suitors: Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers

Speaking of AL Central teams playing themselves out of selling at the deadline: Are the Twins, like, actually good now? Minnesota is 14-8 in its last 22 games, now just two back in the loss column of a playoff spot. Then again, a 45-47 record and a negative run differential do not portend a pennant run. It'll be fascinating to see whether this front office prioritizes the future or the present, but with one more year of control remaining before Ryan hits free agency next winter, they're in no rush to move him.

3. Reid Detmers, LHP, Los Angeles Angels

• Likelihood of trade: Low to moderate
• Potential suitors: Cubs, Cardinals, White Sox, Braves, Rays

The Angels are similarly in no rush, though unlike Detroit or Minnesota it's not because they're sniffing around a playoff spot. Detmers has no shortage of suitors around the league, as teams are desperate to get their hands on a lefty with this sort of raw stuff and try to tap into his considerable upside. He's under team control through 2028, but what are the odds that this team will actually be contending by then? And more importantly, what do the Angels and owner Arte Moreno actually want moving forward? It'll likely take a godfather offer to pry Detmers out of Los Angeles, but never say never.

4. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Boston Red Sox

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Mariners, Dodgers, Phillies, Cubs, Pirates

Boston has suddenly started looking more like the team we expected all year, and while they dug themselves quite a hole to climb out of, they're now just four games out of the final Wild Card spot in the AL. But I think a Chapman trade might be in the cards regardless of whether Craig Breslow decides to buy or sell: He'll be a free agent this winter, and the Red Sox bullpen should be okay without him, allowing the team to patch holes elsewhere without pulling the plug on what could still be a meaningful season. And given the dearth of other relief options available, the offers should be substantial.

5. Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate
• Potential suitors: Yankees, Rays, Rangers, Pirates, Padres

You could copy and paste much of what I wrote about Ryan here, but the crucial difference is that 1) the Twins have catching depth behind Jeffers and 2) unlike Ryan, he's set to hit free agency at the end of the season. If Minnesota wants to give this team a chance while still keeping an eye on 2027 and beyond, trading Jeffers — who will be far and away the best catcher on the market — could fit the bill.

6. Freddy Peralta, RHP, New York Mets

• Likelihood of trade: Very high
• Potential suitors: Cubs, Rays, Braves, Blue Jays

Maybe this is high for a guy currently sporting a 4.68 ERA, but Peralta's track record speaks for itself, and the underlying numbers suggest he's gotten more than a little unlucky this year. Plus, unlike the other arms above him on this list, we know that he'll be changing teams at the deadline, as the Mets continue to sink like a stone. There's no more appealing change-of-scenery candidate in the entire league, and everyone always needs more pitching.

7. Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Miami Marlins

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate
• Potential suitors: Cubs, Guardians, Padres, White Sox, Brewers

The Marlins are now 50-42, and appear to be strengthening their grip on a playoff spot as the other NL Wild Card contenders (Cardinals, Padres, Pirates, D-backs) fall by the wayside. Which makes what they'll do with Alcantara a fascinating topic ahead of the deadline. Ordinarily, this future-focused front office would be looking for an excuse to flip a player who has just a team option for 2027 remaining on his contract. But is that viable when your team is looking this competitive? Injuries have thinned out Miami's pitching depth behind Alcantara, too, making moving on from him all the more perilous. At this point, it feels more likely that he gets dealt over the winter.

8. Jung Hoo Lee, OF, San Francisco Giants

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Braves, Guardians, Phillies, D-backs, Rays

I think Lee's .784 OPS is overstating his underlying skills a bit, fueled mostly by a spike in BABIP luck. Then again, his contact skills are truly elite, and there just aren't very many every-day bats that figure to be available at this year's deadline. All of which could motivate some contender to make the Giants an offer compelling enough to have them cut ties with a player under team control through 2029. If San Francisco can sell high here to get out from under that remaining money, it's an opportunity Buster Posey would have to take; it's not like anyone's banging down the door for Willy Adames or Matt Chapman right now.

9. Michael Wacha, RHP, Kansas City Royals

• Likelihood of trade: Very high
• Potential suitors: Braves, Cardinals, White Sox, Cubs, D-backs

With Seth Lugo struggling and Kris Bubic's shoulder injury clouding his future, Wacha now stands alone as the one pitcher the Royals might be able to dangle in a trade as this nightmare season continues. The righty isn't flashy, but he is Mr. Reliable, and you wouldn't feel awful about him taking the ball to start a postseason game. In this market, that's worth its weight in gold, especially considering he's under control for 2027 as well.

10. Casey Mize, RHP, Detroit Tigers

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Braves, Cubs, Brewers, Rays, Padres, Blue Jays

All the Skubal speculation has overshadowed the fact that he's not the only member of Detroit's rotation set to hit free agency this winter. Mize has put together one heck of a contract year, with a 2.64 ERA and sub-1.000 WHIP. Those numbers inflate how good he really is, but he's missing more bats and inducing more weak contact than ever. If the Tigers want to keep Skubal but still get something for 2027 and beyond, maybe a Mize deal makes the most sense. And if they do decide to sell, he's as good as gone.

11. Luis Arraez, 2B, San Francisco Giants

• Likelihood of trade: Very high
• Potential suitors: Rays, Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays, Rangers

Also as good as gone: Arraez, one of the sole bright spots for the Giants this year who is set to become a free agent at season's end. There's always the chance that his resurgence at second base collapses away from the tutelage of Ron Washington, but as it stands, he's been a very good two-way player this year at an awfully thin position.

12. Jarren Duran, OF, Boston Red Sox

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate to high
• Potential suitors: Phillies, Braves, Guardians, Pirates, White Sox, Astros

The health of Roman Anthony complicates this a bit, but you could argue that a Duran trade makes sense for Boston regardless of whether they're buying or selling at the deadline. This team needs more right-handed pop, and he checks neither of those boxes. Then again, the Red Sox have consistently refused to sell low on him, and he was downright awful at the plate in June. The outfield market figures to be sellers' market, but how motivated will another contender be?

13. Clay Holmes, RHP, New York Mets

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Rays, White Sox, Cardinals, Astros, Brewers

Holmes is expected to begin a rehab assignment not long after the All-Star break, and if he does show teams that he's on the mend before the deadline, the Mets will have to think long and hard about moving him. He'll almost certainly turn down his player option for next year in lieu of free agency, and he's shown to be quite the effective starter when healthy. His health is a major question mark, but he could wind up being one of the three or four best arms on the market.

14. Taylor Ward, OF, Baltimore Orioles

• Likelihood of trade: Very high
• Potential suitors: Phillies, Guardians, Rangers, Braves, Marlins

Mike Elias still begs to differ, but it's getting harder and harder to avoid the conclusion that the O's will be sellers at this deadline. At the very least, it doesn't make sense to hold on to pending free agents like Ward while the team is languishing in fourth place at 42-50 — especially considering how few proven outfielders will be on the market. Ward's power has mysteriously disappeared, but the on-base skills are there, and he just hit 36 homers a year ago. Someone will pay up.

15. Yennier Cano, RHP, Baltimore Orioles

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate
• Potential suitors: Yankees, Cubs, Mariners, Dodgers, White Sox, D-backs

Cano, on the other hand, is a trickier case, given that he won't be a free agent until after the 2028 season. Then again, he's had an awfully hard time finding both health and consistency during his O's career, and Baltimore could be motivated to move him while he's on the mound and pitching well. If they can get a meaningful prospect or two in return, that could be worth more than two seasons of a reliever who's been difficult to trust.

16. Robbie Ray, LHP, San Francisco Giants

• Likelihood of trade: Very high
• Potential suitors: White Sox, Cubs, Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Rays

Every pending free agent in San Francisco is as good as gone at this point, and that includes Ray, even if his numbers (3.45 ERA) are helped out quite a bit by playing in an extreme pitcher's park. He's a veteran with big-game experience who can at the very least slot into the back of a contender's rotation for the home stretch, and there aren't a ton of those available right now.

17. Daulton Varsho, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate
• Potential suitors: Phillies, Guardians, Padres, White Sox, Marlins, Astros

It's been an awfully disappointing contract season for Varsho so far, with a .707 OPS and just seven homers as he's battled injury issues. But he is back healthy now, and while his offense comes and goes, his rock-solid defense in center field should make him pretty appealing to a variety of contenders who could use outfield help. Plus, we've seen what a difference-maker his power can be when he gets hot, and he might just need a change of scenery to lock back in.

18. Trevor Rogers, LHP, Baltimore Orioles

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Rays, Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, Astros

It hasn't helped Baltimore much in the standings, but Rogers has rediscovered his form of late, with just seven runs allowed over his last six starts. A free agent at the end of the season, it would be silly for the O's not to flip him at the deadline unless their fortunes dramatically change over the next three weeks.

19. Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Padres, Braves, Cardinals, Rangers, Rays, Astros

Moniak won't be a free agent until after the 2027 season, but it would be a surprise if the Rockies held on to him regardless. It's not like Colorado plans on contending next year anyway, and they should be motivated to sell high on a player enjoying far and away the best season of his career. Granted, much of that performance has been fueled by hitting in Coors Field (1.079 OPS at home vs. .714 on the road), but Moniak has dangerous power against righty pitching and is a valuable platoon bat who can at least stand in center field once a week without killing you.

20. Gleyber Torres, 2B, Detroit Tigers

• Likelihood of trade: Very high
• Potential suitors: Rays, Guardians, Pirates, Dodgers

Torres has been dogged by oblique issues of late, which is never what you want to hear for a hitter. He is swinging a bat again though, and if the Tigers do pull the plug on this season, they'll almost certainly find a suitor for him given just how few proven middle-infielders there are on the market. He's a perfectly solid hitter at a premium position when healthy, and he's ticketed for free agency this winter.

21. Luke Weaver, RHP, New York Mets

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Astros, Phillies

Weaver has one more year of team control remaining, but he'll likely be far more valuable to the Mets in a trade than he will be in the bullpen next season. The righty has been a rare bright spot for New York this season, with a 1.89 ERA across 38 innings of work, and he's proven that he can pitch in high-leverage spots in big markets and work multiple innings at a time. This time of year, that's an invaluable combination, one that should prompt David Stearns to sell high.

22. Kenley Jansen, RHP, Detroit Tigers

• Likelihood of trade: Very high
• Potential suitors: Rays, White Sox, Astros, Cubs

Jansen's 4.98 ERA doesn't look great, but a good portion of that is just bad home-run luck. Under the hood, he looks an awful lot like the reliever he's been the last few years — hardly the star he was at his peak, but plenty valuable toward the back of a team's bullpen. He almost certainly won't find another closing opportunity, but the Tigers should be thinking long and hard about every pending free agent not named Skubal right now,.

23. JJ Bleday, OF, Cincinnati Reds

• Likelihood of trade: Moderate
• Potential suitors: Guardians, Phillies, Rangers, Rays, Astros

Bleday has cooled off considerably since his scorching start. Still, he's shown the ability to do serious damage against right-handed pitching, and basically every contender could use that kind of platoon pop. He shouldn't walk into an every-day role, but he's a fine corner outfielder who can carry your offense for a week or two if he gets hot. At this stage of the big board, that's good enough.

24. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Miami Marlins

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Yankees, Cubs, Cardinals, White Sox, Phillies, Astros

The Marlins are trending toward being buyers rather than sellers, but they might be motivated to move Fairbanks anyway. There's plenty of other talent in this underrated bullpen, and Miami is always looking to flip its free agents-to-be for some sort of future value. Don't let Fairbanks' 7.00 ERA fool you: He remains a legitimate high-leverage option with tons of closing experience, and plenty of contenders would be interested.

25. Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels

• Likelihood of trade: High
• Potential suitors: Phillies, Blue Jays, Guardians, White Sox

Adell has one more year of team control remaining, and it's unclear whether the Angels might hold on to him and hope he rediscovers his power stroke before the offseason (or next year's trade deadline). Still, Los Angeles needs to start thinking long-term, and the fact is that Adell won't factor into the next competitive version of this team — whenever that version arrives. He's a flawed player, but if you're in need of someone who can hit left-handed pitching, you could do worse.

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