MLB Power Rankings: 1 player every team should’ve traded but didn’t

The 2024 MLB trade deadline has now come and passed. Luckily for baseball fans, we got to see plenty of teams put together some blockbuster deals over the last few weeks. Tanner Scott, Jazz Chisholm, Randy Arozarena and plenty of other top talents changed teams over the course of a week.

But sometimes the story isn't about the players that were traded. Sometimes the story is about all of the players that teams should have traded, but they opted not to. Anyways, FanSided has covered just about every single trade made this season already.

Which players should have been moved, but weren't?

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

30. Chicago White Sox, OF Luis Robert Jr.

Luis Robert's value is what it should be. The White Sox would have been better off dealing him now rather than holding out on a "Juan Soto" type package in return that they will never get.

29. Colorado Rockies, C Elias Diaz

Diaz is on an expiring contract, and he really serves no purpose for the Rockies. He's going to enter free agency and leave Colorado this offseason so they would have been better off getting something back for him.

28. Miami Marlins, LHP Jesus Luzardo?

Honestly, the Marlins traded just about everybody that they could and should have dealt. They had a plan at the deadline and they attacked it. Maybe they could have tried to sell their injured ace, Jesus Luzardo, just because it was a sellers' market, but that would have been selling below his value a bit.

27. Oakland Athletics, OF Brent Rooker

Brent Rooker had quite the market this season. He's having a career year and the Athletics decided to keep him rather than dealing him while he still has team control. He would have brought them much more in return before he becomes a rental.

26. Los Angeles Angels, INF Luis Rengifo

The infield market around the league was dry. The Angels made a ton of mistakes by holding onto some of their players, but Luis Rengifo was one that definitely had an aggressive market. Los Angeles was one of the bigger losers of the deadline.

25. Washington Nationals, RHP Kyle Finnegan

In the year of the reliever, the Nationals held on to their dominant reliever Kyle Finnegan. Judging by the looks of the other trades, they could have gotten quite the return for their reliever.

24. Toronto Blue Jays, RHP Chad Green

Relievers were going for top dollar this season with Carlos Estevez, Tanner Scott and plenty of others netting huge returns. The selling Blue Jays should have taken advantage of this market by selling their closer.

23. Detroit Tigers, LHP Tarik Skubal

Yes, trading Skubal would have made sense. The Tigers could have gotten a franchise changing haul from the Orioles or the Dodgers. Plus, the Tigers likely won't compete while he's under contract, so they would have been better off netting a haul of Basallo, Mayo, Norby and more from the Orioles.

22. Texas Rangers, RHP Kirby Yates

The Rangers had a very obvious bullpen piece to move, impressive veteran Kirby Yates. Yates is 37 and on an expiring deal. In a seller's market, he should have been dealt to net the Rangers a big return.

21. Cincinnati Reds, RHP Buck Farmer

The Reds opted to sell on a few players but opted to keep a majority of their roster. One player that should have gone was the expiring reliever, Buck Farmer. Farmer is having a career year, and the market was as beneficial for sellers as it's ever been.

20. Chicago Cubs, RHP Jameson Taillon

The Cubs would be better off to take advantage of the selling market by dealing their controllable starter, Jameson Taillon. Taillon is having a solid season, and he holds a few years of control on his contract.

19. San Fransisco Giants, LHP Taylor Rogers

Look at the market for solid, controllable relievers this year. The Giants could have landed a huge return if they would have dealt Taylor Rogers at the deadline. Losing him sucks, but the return would have been massive.

18. Pittsburgh Pirates, SS Mitch Jebb

The Pirates are in the perfect position to go all in on controllable pieces. Mitch Jebb would have been the perfect piece to headline a deal for Jazz Chisholm, who would have been a great addition to this Pirates roster. Jebb has quite a few shortstops ahead of him as well.

17. Houston Astros, RHP Jose Fleury

The Astros are an all in type of team. Jose Fleury is still a few years away from the big leagues and the outlook on the Astros team will be very different by then. He has enough value that he could have grabbed Houston a solid starting pitcher alongside Yusei Kikuchi.

16. Tampa Bay Rays, INF Yandy Diaz

The Rays began selling very aggressively, dealing All-Star Isaac Paredes among others. Teams like this are best off looking to completely sell. The Rays could have gotten a haul from the Yankees or Astros for Diaz because he's a dynamic hitter.

15. St. Louis Cardinals, OF Jordan Walker

The Cardinals may be to the point that they could look to move Jordan Walker. Walker could have headlined a massive blockbuster deal for a name like Garrett Crochet or Luis Robert.

14. Seattle Mariners, OF Lazaro Montes

After acquiring Randy Arozarena, the Mariners should have pushed all their pieces to the middle and made a huge deal for Jazz Chisholm or Luis Robert. Montes could have headlined this trade in a blockbuster deal.

13. New York Mets, OF Harrison Bader

The New York Mets have a chance to be a special team this season. They could have dealt Bader just like the Orioles dealt Austin Hays, in a buyer-to-buyer deal where they acquire relief pitching and more from another contender.

12. San Diego Padres, RHP Braden Nett

The Padres are in win now mode, so dealing from the deep pitching depth of their farm system could be very smart. They may need some of their older farm system arms this season. Braden Nett is younger and holds a ton of value to other teams.

11. Arizona Diamondbacks, SS/2B Cristofer Torin

Torin is blocked in the Diamondbacks system, and he still holds a ton of value. Top prospect Jordan Lawlar will be the team's shortstop of the future and Torin is the 5th ranked infielder in the system. He's 19 and slashing .249/.378/.333 in Low-A this year, meaning he holds a decent chunk of trade value.

10. Boston Red Sox, SS Nazzan Zanetello

The Red Sox have their shortstop of the future, Marcelo Mayer, already. They could have dealt top 10 prospect, Nazzan Zanetello, in order to acquire more pitching before the deadline. There's no path to a big league starting spot over Mayer.

9. Atlanta Braves, RHP Darius Vines

Vines is blocked in the Braves system by a ton of pitching talent. He's still 26, so despite his big-league struggles, he still holds value as a change of scenery candidate. Instead, the Braves opted to DFA him.

8. Kansas City Royals, 3B/SS Austin Charles

The Royals need to buy to win, but they don't have the best farm system around to do so. If they were to choose, dealing from their infield depth would have made sense with top 10 prospect Austin Charles being the best option.

7. Milwaukee Brewers, INF Mike Boeve

The Brewers needed to add a lot at the trade deadline and in order to add players, you need to deal some away. Boeve has been great in the minors this year, slashing .338/.409/.469 on the year. He could have been dealt for a solid return.

6. Minnesota Twins, RHP CJ Culpepper

The top 10 prospect would hold quite a significant amount of value on the trade market. The Twins needed to add at the deadline and Culpepper would net them a solid bit of value, but they opted to keep him instead.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP Kyle Hurt

There's really no path to Kyle Hurt being a starter for the Dodgers in the future. They should have dealt him rather than transitioning him to the bullpen. He holds a ton of value in the trade market and the Dodgers will never use him to his true value.

4. New York Yankees, OF Spencer Jones

The Yankees needed to deal Spencer Jones to acquire a talent like Garrett Crochet. They should have done whatever it took to acquire Crochet, even if that meant dealing Jones away as the headliner.

3. Baltimore Orioles, OF Cedric Mullins

This may seem unpopular, but the Orioles should have moved Cedric Mullins. They could have gone on with an outfield core of Herston Kjerstad, Colton Cowser and Anthony Santander. Norby and Stowers would have been good depth to keep as well, with Mullins being the better option to move.

2. Philadelphia Phillies, SS Bryan Rincon

Bryan Rincon is talented, but blocked in the Phillies system. Philadelphia should have used him as a huge piece in one of the bigger fish on the market. They could have used Rincon and others to acquire a talent like Luis Robert.

1. Cleveland Guardians, INF Juan Brito

Brito is talented, but the Guardians just selected second baseman Travvis Bazzana with the top pick in the draft. Bazzana will be fast tracked to the big leagues, likely making his debut next year. Brito just doesn't hold the upside that Bazzana does.