Top 15 MLB Trade Deadline Candidates
by Sam Cox | by Tyler Doty
The MLB trade deadline is bound to impact some MLB picks in the futures markets. Big names switch teams at pretty much every trade deadline, though it’s not always the headline-generating deals that end up swinging the balance of power when the playoffs roll around.
Almost every contender will be looking to fortify its bullpen. Others will want to add another starter, and some will have holes to fill in their lineup.
Here are some of the best players that should be available at the trade deadline:
Luis Arraez
Luis Arraez’s customary high batting average has been accompanied by a strong all-around season. Arraez has the highest OPS+ of his career and San Francisco has turned him into a surprisingly good defender at second base (99th percentile in outs above average).
Teams with a need at second or first should be taking a long look at Arraez. The Phillies and Rays are two potential destinations.
Robbie Ray
Robbie Ray’s stuff isn’t at the level of a few years ago. Ray’s sinker and slider have been hit hard this year and he’s only hovering around league average in xERA.
Teams heading to the playoffs will value Ray’s experience, though, and could try and tweak his pitch usage to get him closer to a 4.00 xERA. The changeup and knucklecurve have been effective, so a few front offices could talk themselves into a move.
Sonny Gray
Will the Red Sox take a $30 million team option for Sonny Gray in 2027? Boston would surely be better shopping the veteran right-hander and leaving that decision to his new team.
Gray’s traditional and expected metrics are much better than Ray’s. The option to keep him for another year is the kind of flexibility that should be desirable for contending teams. There’s a theoretical version of Gray that leans heavily on his sinker and sweeper – let’s see if a team tries to unlock that.
Aroldis Chapman
It’s safe to say Aroldis Chapman won’t be picking up that mutual option. Chapman’s numbers aren’t quite as gaudy as last year, yet he’s still got a 2.65 xERA and a strikeout rate north of 30%.
A few rough outings in June shouldn’t have much of an impact on Chapman’s value as a trade asset. The Pirates and Cubs would make sense for the veteran left-hander.
Taylor Ward
A free agent at the end of the season and with the Orioles out of contention, it’s very likely Taylor Ward gets dealt. Ward is having another solid offensive season, featuring the highest walk rate of his career and the lowest chase rate in the majors.
The high on-base percentage is going to appeal to numerous teams, even though Ward has sacrificed some of his power. The defense is fine. A catalogue of teams could be in the mix, including the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Padres, Braves, and Rays.
Foster Griffin
Washington might want to keep rolling and keep their team together. Alternatively, the Nationals could take a long-term view and flip 30-year-old Foster Griffin, who has a 2.93 ERA and a 3.89 xERA.
Griffin would be a starting pitcher alternative for those front offices that don’t want to cough up a haul for an All-Star arm.
Tarik Skubal & Casey Mize
Detroit really needs to sell. The Tigers are miles away from contention. Tarik Skubal is almost certainly gone as a free agent this winter and has proven his health in recent weeks. He could return a haul.
Casey Mize, who is under control through next year, should also be on the block. Mize is having a career year with a 2.80 xERA. If Detroit isn’t planning to extend the former first-overall pick, then they should see if a team is willing to give up multiple high-ceiling prospects in a deal.
The Astros, Cubs, and Padres make sense for Mize. Either the Phillies or Yankees could take a swing on Skubal in the hopes of negotiating an extension.
Gleyber Torres
Prior to landing on the injured list, Gleyber Torres was having another strong offensive season. His swing decisions were exceptional, leading to a low strikeout rate and a high walk rate, and he posted an xwOBA that ranked in the 69th percentile.
The defense isn’t anything to get excited about. Torres has poor speed. Still, he’s one of the better second basemen in the majors and could be a fit on several contenders, including the Dodgers and Blue Jays.
Joe Ryan
The Twins are surely going to continue their teardown after blowing it up last summer. Joe Ryan is in the Cy Young mix and is under team control through next season, so teams will be queueing up to offer Minnesota trade packages for the right-hander.
The Rays, White Sox, Braves, Cubs, and Padres are all potential suitors for Ryan. That additional year of control will drive the prospect price up, which might deter some front offices, so this could be an AJ Preller special.
Ryan Jeffers
Ryan Jeffers was having a spectacular offensive season before suffering a broken hamate. He should be back before the trade deadline and could become an in-demand player if he resumes the production he showed pre-injury.
Jeffers is a middling defender. His offense from the catching spot would be appealing to most contending teams – greater patience has paid dividends and that should be sustainable.
Kirby Yates
Still going strong despite a significant drop in his fastball velocity, Kirby Yates is the player most likely to be traded by the Angels. Los Angeles will probably look to keep its controllable pitchers, while Yates is a rental that can help a contender.
Hitters are making hard contact against Yates, but he’s getting enough whiffs to still be a valuable late-inning guy. A 36.5% chase rate is impossible to ignore.
Caleb Ferguson
A case can be made for almost every contender needing to add a lefty reliever with a 1.84 ERA and 106 pitching+. The Cardinals, Cubs, White Sox, and Blue Jays would all make sense for Caleb Ferguson.
The relatively low whiff rate might be slightly concerning, but Ferguson has been getting groundballs for fun and he’s very rarely conceding hard contact.
Dustin May
St. Louis is having a great season. It’s also important not to get too carried away with this first half. The Cardinals need to be thinking long-term and it would behoove them to see what contending teams would give up for Dustin May.
A free agent at season’s end, May has a 3.32 FIP and a 3.68 FIP. His 105 pitching+ is back towards where he was pre-injury, and he’s a legitimate six-pitch guy. May might not be an ace on a contender, but he’s a more than serviceable third starter.
Michael Soroka
Michael Soroka’s strained glute could mean he doesn’t return to a big-league mound before the trade deadline. Still, teams should be calling Arizona to see what the asking price is for a pitcher with a 2.93 FIP.
The Diamondbacks are trending in the wrong direction. Soroka has great command and shouldn’t be back to being an above-average starter when he returns from the glute injury.
