Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- With the MLB trade deadline approaching, every AL playoff contender is searching for undervalued upgrades to their rosters.
- One analyst identifies six low-profile players who could dramatically alter the balance of power in the American League postseason.
- The suggestions range from a left-handed reliever who could stabilize a shaky bullpen to a catcher whose plate discipline solves a chronic offensive weakness.
Does any industry on Earth have less of a weekend coming up than MLB front offices? I mean, we have three days until the trade deadline with the best single available player since Juan Soto waiting in the wings, 15 trillion shortstop fake trades and every American League contender somehow needing a right-handed catcher. This is no time for a weekend!
But there are only so many Tarik Skubal deals, only so many CJ Abrams/Zach Neto configurations. The human mind was not designed to care this much about Ryan Jeffers or Reid Detmers. Mason Miller? More like boring.
Everyone knows baseball is won on the margins, not with predictable trades you or I or anyone with the ability to search “Baseball Savant” and sort by xwOBA can cook up with their morning coffee and bagel. And while I am not a savvy, cutting-edge baseball analyst, this is my effort to think like one. One dark horse for all six AL playoff teams coming up!
Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Brennan Bernardino (Colorado Rockies)
Bernardino was unceremoniously shipped to Colorado from Boston last year, but he has been solid for both clubs for a few years now. He may not be a flashy name or any kind of hype player to hang your hat on, but the Rays need to start constructing a team with the underlying features of a World Series winner. Their bullpen has been utterly mediocre all season, and no one ever lost a playoff series because they had too many relievers to use. Bernardino would make plenty of sense for them.
Chicago White Sox: RHP Jack Flaherty (Detroit Tigers)
Flaherty has not exactly had a great season, but he would cost very little for a White Sox team that still leaves a lot to be desired in the starting rotation department. They could, of course, go bigger in the grand scheme of trading-for-a-Detroit-Tigers-pitcher-in-2026, and no, I do not mean Tarik Skubal. Casey Mize is another strong candidate that I would like for the White Sox, and even though it’s all in division, I think Detroit is battered enough to do it. Mize is a little too big to be a dark horse, though, and Flaherty fits the exercise.
Texas Rangers: C Ben Rortvedt (New York Mets)
If you said “who?” I’m with you; this is a AAA catcher in the New York Mets organization, but everything I’m reading tells me the Rangers are mandated not to take on money this deadline, so we really need to improve on the edges. Shoutout Pat Ragazzo at Athlon Sports for initially suggesting Rortvedt, who indeed fits the bill. I struggled with even including the AL West on this list given how awful it’s been for everyone. This slot might be the Astros by tomorrow morning, who knows.
New York Yankees: C Francisco Alvarez (New York Mets)
Oh, did someone say righty catcher? If we just accept for a moment that Hunter Goodman and Ryan Jeffers will have prohibitive price points, I think calling up the New York Mets and saying, "Heyyyyy you think Francisco can hop on the subway to the Bronx?” is a worthwhile effort. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mets hold onto Alvarez, who is a decent pop hitter and a … whatever defensive catcher. He has been really their only offensive bright spot this season outside of Juan Soto, but then again, are the Mets actually in a position to be splitting hairs?
Boston Red Sox: C/DH Liam Hicks (Miami Marlins)
I wasn’t really sure if Liam Hicks was too good to be considered a dark horse, but given we’re three catchers deep and one of them is in Triple-A, we’re going to have to allow it. Hicks is a supremely lefty pull hitter who generates all his power to right field — not quite what Boston is looking for with the Green Monster in left. Still, he would be a massive upgrade over both Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez given his elite plate discipline brings something different to the table offensively.
Cleveland Guardians: OF Mickey Moniak (Colorado Rockies)
Oh boy, it’s everyone’s favorite game of who the fresh heck is going to be the third Wild Card team in the AL by the time this publishes? The Guardians do not feel like a team ready to shell out major assets on … whatever this roster is, but I’m using their slot as an opportunity to discuss Mickey Moniak, a player I’ve been intrigued by all season. He’s a physically impressive slugger who has Coors-branded warning signs everywhere, but I can’t help but think he’s one of the better power-hitting outfielders on the market relative to his cost. Maybe I’m wrong.
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