The MLB trade deadline doesn't always live up to the hype, but it's hard to complain about the amount of action from yesterday afternoon. While we didn't get a Juan Soto-level blockbuster, plenty of big names were exchanged, including past and present All-Stars like Ryan O'Hearn, Ryan Helsley and Mason Miller.
It's fair to attribute the majority of the excitement to one man: San Diego Padres GM A.J. Preller, who in a borderline unprecedented display of sicko mode, dealt away the majority of his top prospects to reshape the Padres' big-league roster for what the club surely hopes is a World Series push. Miller, O'Hearn, Ramón Laureano, J.P. Sears, Freddy Fermin — the man was busy. Leodalis De Vries, the No. 3 prospect in MLB, was traded for a reliever. Not normal.
That said, a lot of stars were also held off the market by day's end. Here are a few big names who did not get traded at the deadline, but who might as well start planning for a midwinter relocation this offseason.
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3B Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies entertained trading Alec Bohm last offseason, but ultimately stood pat. Those talks didn't really pick back up at the deadline, but after teasing fans with Eugenio Suárez rumors, it's clear the Phillies are at least open to an upgrade. Bohm was an All-Star in 2024 but his production has subsided since then. He can still spray doubles into the gaps, but his lack of vertical pop and poor defense at the hot corner are limiting factors.
Philadelphia has Aidan Miller shooting through the farm system. He could be ready for the MLB roster as soon as 2026. Moreover, the Phillies will have a lot of money coming off the books in a few months. Assuming Philadelphia does not max out to keep Kyle Schwarber, we can expect Dave Dombrowski to operate a bit more free and loose than he has in recent years. That gives Philly the wiggle room to really prioritize an upgrade in the infield.
With Trea Turner's defense on the decline, Philly would be wise to invest in a more dependable third base glove — ideally one who doesn't slip into the sort of prolonged slumps that have defined Bohm's 2025 campaign. He's still young and controllable, but Bohm's decision-making in the batter's box is not what the Phillies need behind their core pieces.
RHP Sandy Alcántara, Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins were unexpectedly quiet at the trade deadline, essentially standing pat. Miami is only three games below .500 and seven games out of the NL Wild Card picture, so there's room for a late-season push. But in reality, the Marlins are just kicking the can down the road. This team is not equipped financially or otherwise to support a winner. That's how ownership likes to operate at least. The stench of Kim Ng's firing still lingers.
Sandy Alcántara has strung together back-to-back scoreless outings after a rocky few months on the bump. His return from Tommy John surgery has been anything but smooth, but there are only so many 29-year-old Cy Young winners floating around the trade rumor mill. If the righty can put together a strong second half of the campaign, his trade value will skyrocket. Him staying put does not read as faith or long-term investment from the organization — it reads as the Marlins expecting better offers in a few months.
Alcántara's 6.36 ERA and 1.42 WHIP won't win him any awards, but he has allowed zero earned runs on seven hits, with eight strikeouts, over his last 12.0 innings. Baby steps. Miami is always selling and Alcántara's inconsistency means keeping him around next season is a gamble the front office won't take.
2B Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
Ozzie Albies' contract includes $7 million club options in 2026 and 2027. The Atlanta Braves will pick up next year's salary, but don't expect them to keep Albies on the roster. The former All-Star's production has reached rock bottom this season. He has a .638 OPS and 81 wRC+ and there are no signs of imminent improvement.
At his peak, Albies was integral to the Braves' World Series run and a steadfast, five-tool player in the heart of the lineup. Well, now the bat is ice-cold and Albies isn't good enough as a defender or a base-runner to keep him around. Another team will gladly take a low-stakes gamble on a 28-year-old with Albies' track record, but Atlanta's poor depth makes it difficult to stomach consistent underperformance from a "key" piece.
It won't be hard for the Braves to find a more stable option at second base. Albies is beloved in Atlanta, but patience is wearing thin. Unless he can dramatically improve his output in the coming months, the Braves will be active on the trade front next offseason, with Albies available to the highest bidder.
OF Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox, true to form, decided not to rock the boat at the trade deadline. Craig Breslow expressed confidence in all 26 players on the MLB roster and thus did very little. His big additions were Dustin May and Steven Matz, with Duran and other big-league staples essentially off the table in negotiations.
Duran has been swinging the bat well of late, up to .265 with a .793 OPS and 11 home runs on the season. He's a good-to-great centerfielder with speed on the bases, a sharp glove and plenty of raw power. And yet, Boston faces an outfield logjam with Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu all on the roster, too. Rafaela is the weakest bat metrically, but he packs serious pop and he's also a true superstar on defense, with 16 outs above average. That only trails Pete Crow-Armstrong among centerfielders.
The Red Sox simply cannot justify keeping Rafaela out of his natural position. He's fine at second base, but the defensive impact is so much more pronounced in center. With Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer due back eventually, too, the Red Sox will run out of room for all their core pieces eventually. Someone has to go. Duran feels like the odd man out. Craig Breslow should be a bit more active over the offseason when Boston can more meticulously navigate the financial ramifications of trading.
RHP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
For about 30 seconds there, Joe Ryan was a member of the Boston Red Sox. Or so it seemed. A now-infamous social media gaffe from the Fox Sports: MLB account on X led fans to believe the Minnesota Twins ace had been traded to Beantown. In reality, the Red Sox made a "late push" but were never particularly close to a deal. The Craig Breslow special.
Ryan was made available like everyone else on the Twins roster, but he miraculously survived the fire sale. Now he's stuck putting up Cy Young numbers for a team with zero plan to contend in the near future. Minnesota is navigating over $400 million in debt and the potential sale of the team. Ryan is controllable through 2027 at a bargain price, but there's no way the Twins are ready to pay him in a couple years. I don't care who the new owners are.
As such, we should expect Minnesota to circle back to trade talks for Ryan next offseason, when the market expands and more teams think they have what it takes to contend. The 29-year-old has a 2.82 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with 137 strikeouts in 121.1 innings this season. He's a stud. Minnesota can get a very nice return package when the time comes.