Why Lane Kiffin could be poised to get Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff
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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
OXFORD, Miss. — It’s just before 6 o’clock in the morning during the dog days of Ole Miss’ sweltering preseason camp, and Lane Kiffin is already on fire.
No, he’s not grading tape, drawing up new plays or even thinking much about football at all.
His endorphins are racing after an intense yoga session. As he transitions from yoga to prayer and meditation and finally to journaling, Kiffin reminds himself that this day, this week, even this season — the most anticipated at Ole Miss in more than 50 years — is not about him.
“When you’re making changes to be the best version of yourself, you learn to let go of control, to let go of your ego, to let go of the things that don’t matter,” Kiffin told ESPN. “Everything I ever wanted was on the other side of letting go, which is the exact opposite of how you think because you think you can’t let go of anything. You’re not trained that way, especially in football.”
Mention Kiffin’s name around college football, and you’re sure to get a wide array of reactions.
Offensive mastermind. Narcissist. Twitter troll. Unrelenting competitor. The ultimate antagonist. Unapologetically himself.
He’s also sober and says he hasn’t had a drink in three and a half years.
“Not drinking is just a part of my journey to where I am now, which is as fulfilled as I’ve been in coaching, and as important as all of that, is having peace and rhythm in my life,” Kiffin said. “I’m still not perfect, still have my moments. But there’s a freedom in not feeling like you need a drink to celebrate a big win or get over a tough loss. There’s a freedom of not having to have acceptance of what some guy writes about you or what the fans think of you or if you’re on the hot seat.
“There’s just a freedom in knowing that it’s going to be OK.”
Not since Archie Manning was carving out a legendary career more than 50 years ago has Ole Miss gone into a season with this level of expectation. Kiffin has said more than once that this is the best roster he’s assembled in his five years at Ole Miss. In the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, the Rebels enter Saturday’s opener against Furman as the No. 6 team in the country. And Kiffin will look to show that this is indeed the best version of himself — and he’s built for the moment.
“Just because you build a talented roster doesn’t make you a great team,” said Jaxson Dart, entering his third season as Ole Miss’ starting quarterback. “So I think that’s kind of where we’re at right now, and we’ve got a coach who’s never been more connected with everybody in this building.
“Let’s go out and do it.”
DART IS HARDLY the only person who has seen an evolution in the 49-year-old Kiffin, one of the more polarizing figures in college football for much of his career, going back to his hiring as Tennessee’s coach in 2009 when he was only 33. He bolted Knoxville after 10 eventful months, with angry students and fans burning mattresses as he was whisked away from campus to take his “dream job” at USC, where he lasted less than four seasons before being famously fired at the LAX Airport following a 62-41 loss to Arizona State on Sept. 28, 2013.
Nick Saban hired Kiffin as his offensive coordinator at Alabama before the 2014 season, and while Kiffin was a huge part of revolutionizing the Crimson Tide’s offense, he acknowledges he was living a reckless lifestyle at the time. Kiffin also clashed repeatedly with Saban, at times purposely trying to get under his boss’ skin. In 2016, Saban fired Kiffin the week of the national championship game, following a lackluster 24-7 semifinal win over Washington, because he believed Kiffin wasn’t focused enough after landing the job as head coach at Florida Atlantic.
Kiffin remains grateful for his time under Saban and has apologized for some of his antics.
“I would have really struggled with myself as an assistant coach at that stage, and I told Coach (Saban) that,” Kiffin said. “I don’t think I would have put up with it as a head coach.”
After moving to FAU, Kiffin was seeking more purpose in his life outside of football. He invited Jon Gordon, a 17-time best-selling author of 30 books on leadership and teamwork, to meet with him in Boca Raton in 2017.
Gordon was brutally honest with Kiffin and told him one of the first things he needed to do was quit drinking.
“I even said, ‘If you don’t want to hear any of this, I’ll leave right now and go,'” Gordon recounted. “And Lane said, ‘No, stay. I need to hear it,’ and a friendship began. He wanted to get better and was humble enough to take those steps, to move closer to God. That’s why I think his story is so great because he’s an example and a testament to so many people that you can change. You can get better.”
Kiffin’s oldest daughter, Landry, is a sophomore at Ole Miss. She moved to Oxford from Los Angeles prior to her senior year of high school to be with her father. In fact, had it not been for Landry, her dad might be coaching at Auburn right now. Kiffin was leaning toward taking the Auburn job toward the end of the 2022 season when Landry came to him with a heartfelt message.
“You left me one time for another job when you went to Alabama, and now I’m here with you and you’re going to do it again?” she asked her father.
Landry and her friends created a slideshow, complete with music, showing all of them together with Kiffin at Ole Miss. Meanwhile, the school was prepared to sweeten his deal. (He wound up signing a new six-year contract in November 2022 that was extended another year in December 2023 and pays him $9 million annually through the 2029 season.)
In addition to that big contract, what helped seal the decision for Kiffin was that he didn’t want to leave his daughter, not to mention the support from Ole Miss fans, athletic director Keith Carter and the “Grove Collective,” which was committed to dive into the deep end of the NIL pool.
“I think he’s where he needs to be right now, not just for me, but for him too,” Landry said. “It’s a different version of my dad for sure. He’s more involved with everything, more aware, and it wasn’t always this way. It’s been awesome to see. We all love seeing him like this.”
Pete Golding was Saban’s defensive coordinator at Alabama for five seasons before Kiffin hired him away prior to the 2023 season. Golding had never coached with Kiffin and made the move for family reasons. His wife, Carolyn, is an Ole Miss graduate, adjunct professor at the university and grew up in the Mississippi Delta. They wanted their three kids to be closer to her family.
Golding said the unique way Kiffin runs his program has been eye-opening after being part of Saban’s regimented model.
“You’re at Bama for so long and think that’s the only way you can do it and win,” Golding said. “Lane’s who he is and has seemed to find the perfect balance.”
The newfound balance in Kiffin’s life has also had an impact on Golding, who was arrested on a DUI charge in 2022 while coaching at Alabama.
“What I’ve appreciated about him the most is the way he’s turned his life around,” Golding said. “It’s been an inspiration for me. He’s been through a lot of things I’ve gone through. I had no damn clue what to expect when I got here, but this dude ain’t the Lane Kiffin I was hearing stories about at Alabama.”
NOBODY IS SUGGESTING Kiffin has suddenly become a choir boy. He still revels in trolling coaches and media members. There’s an old saying among his friends, former coaches and players, even family members, that “Lane is going to Lane.” His mother nicknamed him “Helicopter” as a kid because he would go from room to room stirring up things.
Auburn coach Hugh Freeze has been a frequent target of Kiffin’s on social media, most notably Kiffin trolling Freeze when reports surfaced that Auburn was taking control of Freeze’s social media accounts after he was hired.
In the last year, Kiffin has mocked LSU’s Brian Kelly and Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz for dancing and playing electric guitar, respectively, with recruits. And at SEC media days in July, Kiffin told ESPN’s Paul Finebaum on air, “Really, I don’t know what you’re good at.”
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Lane Kiffin ribs Paul Finebaum over past takes
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin jabs at Paul Finebaum over past takes on his USC firing and Miley Cyrus.
Kiffin remains unpredictable, whether he’s in his office designing plays or at a news conference calling out his sponsors. It’s entertaining, but also makes his bosses and legal representatives a tad nervous anytime he’s behind a microphone.
Last week, Kiffin ended his news conference by picking up a bottle of Coca-Cola that routinely sits on the podium for advertising purposes — Coca-Cola is an official corporate sponsor — and asked, “Does anybody drink Coke?” as he proceeded to trash the soft drink.
“One hundred and thirty percent of your sugar for the entire day is in this one bottle,” he said.
KIFFIN HAS JOKED that he looked like an anaconda who swallowed a deer during his first season at Ole Miss. But he’s slimmed down considerably since he quit drinking and took up pickleball.
“He won’t play me one-on-one because he knows I will beat him, so he always wants to play doubles,” Dart said.
Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. met Kiffin at Alabama in 2015 when Weis was just 24 and working as an analyst. Weis said the changes in Kiffin go beyond his physique.
“Just a different guy. Not less competitive. He’s still competitive as hell,” Weis said. “There’s a lot more to him now than just football. You see it every day, whether it’s going over and helping out an equipment guy or helping one of our players with a problem off the field.”
Running backs coach Kevin Smith was on the plane with Kiffin when he came from Florida Atlantic to Ole Miss on Dec. 8, 2019, one of only two assistants Kiffin brought with him from FAU. Smith, who has been with Kiffin all but one season at Ole Miss, understands how his boss might not be for everybody.
“I don’t agree with everything LK does or says,” Smith said. “Who says we have to agree on everything? But when he screws up, he’s one of those people who can reflect and own it. He’s more of a thinker now. Trust me, I’ve seen him change. He’s taking care of his mind, taking care of his body, which I think is what kind of catapulted him to be more patient in life and as a coach.”
Smith, a record-setting running back at UCF, said Kiffin has been an example for him. Smith was struggling with his own demons. He gained a lot of weight, hitting 270 pounds, and said he was drinking way too much. Now he’s given up alcohol and credits Kiffin for his metamorphosis.
“I’m like, ‘If he can do it, then I can do it,'” Smith said. “And to watch him do it is what really inspired me, the way he changed his life, not just the drinking part. And then he brought me along too. He’s the one who got me working out. He’s the one who sat me down and we’d have talks every night, just me and him. I can’t tell you how much he’s influenced me, and I’m glad I’m right by his side.
“I’ve got his back. We all do.”
KIFFIN’S FATHER MONTE died July 11 at 84 after dealing with dementia. Monte was always around the Ole Miss football complex and known affectionately as “Pops.” They shared a deep connection.
Since Monte’s death, Kiffin said he has often thought about something Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said about his dad. Kiffin and Sarkisian coached together at USC and Alabama.
“It’s like Sark said, my dad cared about the people no one else really cared about,” Kiffin said. “He invested in everybody no matter who they were.”
Kiffin knows he will never be his dad, but he vows to be more like him, especially when it comes to family. Landry already is at Ole Miss and loving sorority life as a Kappa Kappa Gamma. Kiffin said the plan is for his son Knox to move to Oxford next summer and play football at Oxford High as a sophomore. He’s a quarterback. His daughter Presley will be a freshman at USC next year and plans to play volleyball.
Kiffin’s younger brother Chris also recently moved to Oxford with his family — they live on the same street as Kiffin. Kiffin hired Chris, who has coached in the NFL the past six seasons, most recently as the Houston Texans linebackers coach, as an analyst on the Ole Miss staff. It’s the third season the brothers have worked together.
“I know that’s what Dad would want, as many of us as possible to be together,” Kiffin said.
KIFFIN HAS STOCKPILED a staff of analysts, personnel directors and other football-based hires with a variety of backgrounds, including former head coaches Joe Judge (New York Giants) and Zach Arnett (Mississippi State).
Judge, who had no previous ties with Kiffin, had planned on taking the season off from coaching while visiting some campuses to refamiliarize himself with the college game.
“This was my first stop this spring, and I was planning on being here for three days, but by the middle of the second day, they were asking me if I would be interested in a deal,” said Judge, who worked for Bill Belichick in the NFL and Saban with Alabama. “And by the time I was getting ready to leave, there was something about it that was really good here, what they were doing, the energy. It was fun.”
For example, Kiffin often ended practices in preseason camp with a variety of basketball games, rolling a portable hoop into a team meeting room. One day he said he would scrap a scheduled walk-through if a stocky graduate assistant made a dunk. The players lowered the hoop as low as it would go, with some linemen hanging on the rim to pull it even lower, and the graduate assistant rammed it home. The place went wild, with Kiffin wearing the biggest grin of all.
“I’ve been to a lot of team meetings in my life,” Judge said. “I’ve never had one end in full contact basketball like that and then a dunk contest. It’s laid back, but when it’s time to work, you work here.”
Judge, who played at Mississippi State under Sylvester Croom, said what Kiffin has created — with the portal, his high-powered offense and culture — has elevated Ole Miss’ standing as a national brand.
“There have been a lot of good players from the state of Mississippi and all the Mississippi schools have had good players in the past, but he’s put a national element to this being a fashionable place for players to go from all around the country,” Judge said. “You can call a kid in California and Texas and Ohio, and when they hear Ole Miss is interested, that instantly makes them interested. It’s become an intriguing place to be.”
Kiffin isn’t running away from the lofty expectations this season. The general feeling around the program is that it’s College Football Playoff or bust for the Rebels.
Kiffin has taken Ole Miss to heights the program hasn’t experienced in decades. Prior to his arrival, Ole Miss had won 10 games in a season only three times in the previous 50 years. Kiffin has guided the Rebels to double-digit wins in two of the past three seasons. Last year was the first 11-win season in school history, capped by a 38-25 win over Penn State in the Peach Bowl, and Ole Miss finished with its highest ranking in the AP poll (No. 9) since 1969.
What Kiffin hasn’t done consistently as a head coach is beat the best teams on his schedule. He’s 6-25 against teams that finished the season ranked in the final AP poll. Two of those wins came last season against LSU and Penn State. To be fair, the only current SEC head coaches with a winning record against teams ranked in the final AP poll are Georgia’s Kirby Smart (28-12) and new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer (8-2).
The heightened expectations won’t change Kiffin’s aggressive approach.
“It’s not like we’re all of a sudden going to start going for it on fourth-and-2 inside our own territory,” Kiffin deadpanned. “That’s who we are. That’s what we do, go for it.”
When Kiffin took the Rebels’ job, he said he didn’t come to Ole Miss to be good. He came to be great. In his fifth season, this is his best chance yet to make good on that proclamation.
He realizes there will be questions along the way: How will the Rebels handle the hype? How will they respond if they lose to somebody they’re not supposed to? Will Kiffin hang around if a blue-blood job like Florida opens up?
Kiffin isn’t getting ahead of himself. He’ll deal with what’s right in front of him and let go of everything else. In one of his most recent journals, he wrote: “Ego was being replaced with self-respect, resentment and hatred were being replaced with tolerance and understanding. Fear was being replaced with trust, loneliness and self-pity with gratitude and love.”
As Kiffin put the preseason in his rear-view mirror, he treated himself to a night out on the town — by going on a neighborhood golf cart ride with his 10-year-old nephew Cookie.
“Times have changed,” Kiffin said.
The 2025 MLB trade deadline is just around the corner, with contending teams deciding what they need to add before 6 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Could Jarren Duran be on the move from the Boston Red Sox? Will the Arizona Diamondbacks deal Eugenio Suarez and Zac Gallen to contenders? And who among the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies will go all-in to boost their 2025 World Series hopes?
Whether your favorite club is looking to add or deal away — or stands somewhere in between — here’s the freshest intel we’re hearing, reaction to completed deals and what to know for every team as trade season unfolds.
More: Top 50 trade candidates | Trade grades | Fantasy spin | Ranking traded prospects
Jump to: Latest intel | Completed deals | Previous intel
This week’s MLB trade deadline buzz
July 29
Robert trade talk heats up: NL East rivals are vying for outfielder Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, with Chicago apparently resolute in the stance that it’ll either receive a trade return the equivalent of what Robert’s potential is or hang on to him beyond the deadline. The White Sox hold a $20 million option on Robert next season, and they have tons of payroll flexibility moving forward, meaning that there really is no financial stress in the decision; Chicago doesn’t have to dump the contract.
A lot of Robert’s career has been filled with injuries or underwhelming performance, but he has always been viewed as a superstar talent. Luisangel Acuna and Mark Vientos are among the names that have come up in conversations with the Mets, and the Phillies have a farm system loaded with pitching. The Padres have also inquired about Robert. — Buster Olney
Braves moving Ozuna? Possibly to Padres? With little more than 48 hours to go before the deadline, there is movement developing around Marcell Ozuna, who has the power to reject any trade proposal. At least one team has had internal conversations about trying to work out a deal for the slugger.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Padres emerge as a possible landing spot for Ozuna. San Diego has some of baseball’s worst DH production this year — wRC+ of 82, which ranks 28th — and presumably, the prospect-strapped Padres wouldn’t have to give up much to get him. — Olney
Cards looking to deal Helsley: For a lot of this season, rival executives weren’t sure if the Cardinals would trade players at the deadline, because their perception was the organization wanted to have as good of a season as possible in John Mozeliak’s last year running baseball operations. They weren’t sure if closer Ryan Helsley, a free-agent-to-be, would be dealt. As recently as a few days ago, it was still unclear to some teams whether Helsley would be moved.
But on Tuesday morning, multiple executives said the Cardinals are exchanging names and appear devoted to moving Helsley, though the offers for him might not be as robust as they had hoped. Helsley’s strikeout rate is down this season, he’s allowed a higher percentage of homers, and his ERA has climbed. “He’s not having the lights-out season we’ve seen from him before,” said one evaluator. The Tigers, Mets, Yankees, Mariners, Dodgers, Phillies and Blue Jays are among the contenders looking for relief help. — Olney
Are the Rays adding or subtracting? Even they don’t know: The market is still stalled somewhat by teams deciding what they want to do. Tampa Bay is at the top of that list. The Rays have pitchers — both starters and relievers — that teams want. But being just on the outside of the wild-card race is causing some hesitation for the Rays. — Jesse Rogers
Yankees seeking relief — and lots of it: The Yankees continue to look for relief help. They have resources deployed throughout the league in search of bullpen arms. If there is a closer or setup man available, New York is scouting him. Think Ryan Helsley and work down from there. — Rogers
Speaking of relievers: Other teams believe the Colorado Rockies could make a killing in the current market if they dealt their best relievers — Seth Halvorsen, Jake Bird and Jimmy Herget. But some of those same teams view the current asking prices as unreachable, and they wonder if the Rockies will bend as the deadline gets closer. — Olney
Rangers ready to rock at the deadline: The Texas Rangers have won nine of 11 and rival executives report that the Rangers are aggressively looking to upgrade their bullpen before the trade deadline. — Olney
July 28
Mets in need of relievers: As we close in on the deadline, the Mets are looking to ideally add two relievers — a center fielder, and possibly an additional hitter to slot in a designated hitter, in the event that their current regular DH Mark Vientos is one of the players they need to include in a deal to address their needs.
White Sox CF Luis Robert Jr. is their top target for the center-field need, with Orioles CF Cedric Mullins as the second option, as Jesse Rogers has noted below. I’m told the White Sox have focused on Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Vientos and Luisangel Acuna in those Robert talks, with the last two being the most realistic options. — Kiley McDaniel
Bader could be a hot commodity: The Dodgers, Mets and Yankees are among the teams that have shown interest in Twins outfielder Harrison Bader, sources told ESPN. Bader is a plus defender batting .255 with 12 home runs and a .777 OPS in 93 games this season. His 2.0 fWAR ranks 30th in the majors among outfielders. He would effectively be a rental for a contender; he signed a one-year deal with $6.25 million guaranteed plus up to $2 million in bonuses that includes a mutual option for 2026. He is likely to opt for free agency to secure a better contract before his age-32 season.
Bader has played for both New York clubs; with the Yankees in 2022 and 2023 and with the Mets last season. The Yankees seek a right-handed-hitting outfielder with Aaron Judge’s flexor strain throwing a wrench into their season. The Mets could use an upgrade in center field. The Dodgers, meanwhile, could use Bader in center field, move Andy Pages to left field and struggling Michael Conforto (.194 batting average and .650 OPS) to the bench. — Jorge Castillo
Yankees in on Bader, Slater? The Yankees continue to work on adding bullpen help, according to rival evaluators, and they have talked with other teams about right-handed-hitting outfielders. Former Yankee Harrison Bader is among those discussed, as well as White Sox outfielder Austin Slater. The Yankees’ bullpen has been the weakest part of the team this year, and they will be among the contenders likely to add relief before the deadline. — Olney
Blue Jays — like most teams — need bullpen help: Toronto is in an increasingly commanding position in the AL East, and one of the advantages the Blue Jays have is the flexibility of their position player group. They have a handful of players who can change spots according to the day-to-day needs of manager John Schneider. Like so many contending teams, the Jays are working to add bullpen help, according to rival evaluators, from the enormous pool of available relievers. — Olney
Yankees eyeing a few Bucs: The Yankees’ focus is now on adding pitchers — both a starter and multiple relievers — after upgrading their position player group with the additions of Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario over the weekend.
As Kiley McDaniel notes below, Nationals All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore is a possible option if the Yankees are willing to pay a steep price.
New York has also shown interest in the Pirates’ available arms, a source told ESPN. Right-handed starter Mitch Keller, left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson and right-handed relievers David Bednar and Dennis Santana are among the pitchers Pittsburgh could move before Thursday’s deadline.
Landing Keller, a quality midrotation starter, would also require a hefty haul since the veteran is under contract over the next three seasons for about $54.5 million. So would adding Bednar, who is one of the top relievers available and under team control through next season. — Castillo
July 27
Mets are scouring CF market — and Robert could play a big part: The New York Mets are keeping an eye on centerfielders Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles and Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox.
Robert returned to the lineup on Sunday as the designated hitter after missing the previous two games due to groin tightness. Before getting hurt, he was easily having the best month he has had over the past two seasons, hitting .351 with a .442 OBP in July. The White Sox have been waiting for an increase in prospect capital to move forward on a deal. It’s possible they finally get it this week; but they could always pick up the option in his contract this offseason and do this all over again next year. Robert’s production this month has teams intrigued. — Jesse Rogers
Not all White Sox players are on the table: The Chicago White Sox are holding out for a decent prospect return for starter Adrian Houser, who is likely to get moved by the deadline — unless teams just don’t believe in his 2.10 ERA over 11 starts. The Sox would love a 10th-to-20th-ranked prospect from an opposing organization’s farm system for him; though, teams are likely to lean toward the lower end of that instead of what Chicago prefers, closer to the higher end. The New York Yankees were among teams scouting Houser this weekend. He pitched another good one against the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Meanwhile, depth outfielder Mike Tauchman isn’t likely to get traded. While Chicago still has another year of team control over him, the coaching staff has raved about his influence within its young clubhouse. He would be more valuable on the open market if he could play center field, but leg issues are a concern, and the White Sox aren’t likely to get much in prospect return for him. — Rogers
The market for one Marlins starter could be heating up: Teams unwilling or unable to meet the demands for Joe Ryan and MacKenzie Gore, two controllable starters who are more likely to stay put than move at this point, could easily pivot to Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera. The 27-year-old is controllable through the 2028 season and has been on a really good run, posting a 2.47 ERA since the start of May.
Another Marlins pitcher, Sandy Alcantara, has been the big name bandied about on the trade front all year, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be moved. Alcantara has struggled in his initial return from Tommy John surgery and is controllable for an additional two years. And the Marlins — surging of late, with 20 wins in their past 28 games — can easily justify holding on to him if they are not blown away by offers. At this point, Cabrera seems more likely to be traded. — Alden Gonzalez
Gore’s market is stalled for now: Jesse Rogers noted below (July 24 update) that the Chicago Cubs are looking to add a starting pitcher with years of control and would consider including a young position player, though hopefully not a top prospect, to make that happen. MacKenzie Gore is one of those targets, and the key player the Washington Nationals are rumored to want in a return package is Matt Shaw, who isn’t yet on the table and graduated from prospect status this season with 71 MLB games.
The New York Yankees are also shopping for a starting pitcher and have some young position players of interest to rivals, but they aren’t keen on including either of their top prospects, George Lombard Jr. or Spencer Jones. If they change that stance, they could be a dark horse fit with the Nats on Gore. — McDaniel
Boston should target Tampa Bay’s Diaz: The Tampa Bay Rays‘ struggles over the past month have really surprised other teams — and the Rays’ staffers, too — and now they could shift to become dealers at the deadline. Tampa Bay first baseman Yandy Diaz would be an absolutely perfect fit for the Boston Red Sox. He’s making $10 million this year (the Red Sox would be on the hook for about a third of that), and he has a very attractive $12 million option for 2026. — Olney
Could Ozuna be one of the Braves on the move? The Atlanta Braves might be the most disappointing team in the big leagues this year, and now they are fully prepared to execute a minor sell-off before the deadline, moving relievers Raisel Iglesias (who is making $16 million this year) and Pierce Johnson ($7 million, with a $7 million option for 2026) and maybe others. Marcell Ozuna, benched recently when manager Brian Snitker decided to devote the DH spot to catchers Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin, has 10-5 rights and can veto any trade proposal, which means the Braves are unlikely to engage any team in trade talks about Ozuna. If another team calls the Braves, however, to ask about his availability, then they will ask Ozuna if he would accept a move. The market for DHs is extremely limited, and Atlanta would presumably have to eat at least some of the $5 million or so owed to the slugger for the rest of this season. — Olney
Look for Texas to now be aggressive at the deadline: If you were to line up all the MLB president of baseball operations and general managers on a spectrum from most competitive to least, the peers of Rangers GM Chris Young would probably pick him to be the most competitive — which is why other teams assume that with Texas surging in the standings of late, the Rangers will be adding before the deadline. A few weeks ago, the assumption among those other clubs was that the Rangers would become dealers and perhaps move Adolis Garcia and others. But they have won eight of nine since the All-Star break and start Sunday just a half-game out of the third wild-card position. And remember, in 2023, Texas limped into the postseason and wound up winning the World Series. — Olney
Can Mets find an ace at deadline? The market has been very thin in teams offloading, but according to sources, the Mets continue to look around to see whether there’s a match for a starting pitcher capable of taking the ball for a Game 1, Game 2 or Game 3 of a postseason series. Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks could be that guy, or maybe it’s Seth Lugo of the Royals, or the Padres’ Dylan Cease. Perhaps it’s one of the two big-time starters who will be under team control beyond this season, the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara or the Twins’ Joe Ryan. The Mets’ rotation was exceptional early in the year, before injuries and natural regression began to take a toll, and the team could use a boost in the front end of this group as they fight the Phillies for NL East supremacy. — Olney
Which way will deadline bubble teams go? The staredown continues as deadline week begins, with perhaps as many as a half-dozen teams waiting to declare their status. “This weekend is big for a lot of teams,” said one evaluator.
The Rays, who appeared to be gathering momentum a month ago, are now just a game over .500, and given the organization’s longstanding focus on maximizing the value of their players, some rival evaluators think they could now be considering dealing some pieces away.
The St. Louis Cardinals are two games over .500, with the industry waiting to see whether they will deal closer Ryan Helsley. The expectation is that they will, given the tough NL playoff landscape. The Tigers could be interested, maybe the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers or Yankees.
The Los Angeles Angels are now five games under .500, and the presumption is that they will eventually move some players before the deadline, but the Angels don’t always operate in the way teams typically do. Taylor Ward has drawn interest from other organizations. — Olney
Completed deal tracker
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Rays deal catcher to Brewers, get one from Marlins
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired catcher Danny Jansen from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are also acquired catcher Nick Fortes from the Miami Marlins.
The Detroit Tigers receive RHP Chris Paddack and RHP Randy Dobnak from the Minnesota Twins for C/1B Enrique Jimenez.
Braves add veteran rotation arm
The Atlanta Braves acquired veteran starting pitcher Erick Fedde from the St. Louis Cardinals for a player to be named later or cash.
Yankees make another deal for infield depth
The New York Yankees acquired utility man Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals for two minor leaguers.
Royals get outfielder in trade with D-backs
The Kansas City Royals acquired veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-hander Andrew Hoffmann.
Yankees land infielder McMahon in deal with Rockies
The New York Yankees are acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon in a trade with the Colorado Rockies.
Mets get bullpen help from O’s
The New York Mets have acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles.
Mariners start trade season with deal for Naylor
The Seattle Mariners have acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-hander Brandyn Garcia and right-hander Ashton Izzi.
Previous deadline buzz
July 25 updates
Will the Royals trade Lugo — or extend him? Seth Lugo is an intriguing name in the trade market, but rival evaluators don’t sense the Royals are especially motivated to make a deal. Kansas City could also use this moment to explore an extension with Lugo, to keep their deep well of starting pitching intact. — Buster Olney
Angels’ deadline plans coming into focus: Any confusion about whether the Angels will add or subtract ahead of the trade deadline has seemingly cleared up in recent days, with a four-game losing streak that has them five games under .500.
The Angels are telling teams their pending free agents are available, sources with knowledge of the situation said. That includes third baseman Yoan Moncada, utility infielder Luis Rengifo, starting pitcher Tyler Anderson and closer Kenley Jansen. Left fielder Taylor Ward, controllable through 2026, can also be had with the right deal.
The Angels famously never rebuild under owner Arte Moreno and are prone to adding even in times when they seem like long shots to contend — most notably in 2023, when they not only held on to Shohei Ohtani but also traded for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez before collapsing in August.
At this time last year, they tried to move the likes of Anderson and Rengifo but did not believe they would have received enough back to justify holding on to them through the following season. And so it is worth noting: Even if the Angels do decide to punt on 2025, their goal would be to contend again next season.
Any moves they make would probably be geared toward that. By trading away rentals, the Angels will try to use the trade deadline to add accomplished players who can help the team next year. — Alden Gonzalez
What the Astros might be looking for: The Astros’ best fit in a hitter is someone who could play second base or left field, and they can move Jose Altuve accordingly. Per FanGraphs, the Astros have a 94.5% chance to reach the postseason; they lead the Mariners by five games in the AL West. — Buster Olney
How Arizona could shape the trade deadline: The Diamondbacks informed other teams in the past that they would “probably” be dealing away players, but even after trading Josh Naylor to Seattle, it’s unclear just how far Arizona will go. If the D-Backs decided to go all-in on trading veterans, they could reshape their organization significantly, by moving free-agents-to-be Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and, of course, Eugenio Suarez.
The perception of other front offices is that Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick does not want to completely offload, especially with the Dodgers drifting back toward the pack in the NL West — and as of Thursday night, Suarez wasn’t even officially on the market.
The Diamondbacks, who reached the World Series in 2023 after winning just 84 games during the regular season, won their first three games after the All-Star break, but have subsequently lost three in a row. What some rival evaluators believe is that if the D-Backs keep dealing, it’ll be because of a nudge from the front office. Arizona has been extensively scouting other organizations in preparation. — Buster Olney
White Sox starter drawing interest from contenders: About a half-dozen or more scouts will be in attendance at Rate Field on Friday night when Adrian Houser takes the mound for the White Sox. He has compiled a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for Chicago after being picked up midseason. Teams don’t believe they’ll have to give up a lot to acquire him, and he could make for a good back-end starter or depth piece for a contender. The White Sox are likely to move him at his peak, and Friday could be the final look for those who are interested. — Jesse Rogers
July 24 updates
Could Mets land this deadline’s top slugger? Eugenio Suarez could be an intriguing option for the Mets as they’ve gotten little production out of Mark Vientos at third base. And if things work out and Suarez wants to stay — and they want him to — he could also provide protection for the Mets at first base in case Pete Alonso moves on next season. The Mets rank 23rd in OPS at third, so why wouldn’t they inquire about Suarez, knowing they can hand the position back to Vientos in 2026 if they wish. — Jesse Rogers
July 23 updates
Houston is in the market for a third baseman: Add the Astros to the list of contenders looking for a third baseman. With All-Star Isaac Paredes expected to miss significant time because of what manager Joe Espada described as a “pretty serious” right hamstring strain, the Astros have begun poking around for available third basemen. One of them is the Rockies’ Ryan McMahon, who also has drawn interest from a few other clubs.
The 30-year-old represents a solid veteran option. McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs, and the metrics indicate he has been one of the top defensive third basemen in the majors this season. He is under contract over the next two seasons for $32 million, so he wouldn’t be just a rental, which should raise the Rockies’ asking price. — Jorge Castillo
A big addition to the available deadline starting pitching options? A surprise name has emerged in the starting pitcher market: Dylan Cease, who will be eligible for free agency at year’s end. Perception of other teams is that the Padres are intent on making a push for the playoffs and would use Cease to help fill other roster needs. Mets, AL East teams, Cubs among teams that have talked about him. — Buster Olney
How Cubs are approaching deadline: The Cubs are looking for a starting pitcher first and foremost, but won’t part with any top prospects for rentals. They would be willing to trade a young hitter for a cost-controlled pitcher or one already under contract past this season. They are desperate to add an arm who can help while Jameson Taillon recovers from a calf injury. Bullpen games in Taillon’s place haven’t gone well. — Jesse Rogers
Will Twins trade top pitchers? Several high-profile teams are in need of bullpen help ahead of the trade deadline — including the Mets, Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers — and the Twins have two of the best available in Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. The sense is that at least one of them will be traded, but those who are looking for relief help expect the asking price to be very high, partly because both of them are controllable through 2027 and partly because the Twins’ uncertain ownership situation has clouded the approach with those who are not pending free agents.
The Twins are widely expected to trade outfielder Harrison Bader, super-utility player Willi Castro, starter Chris Paddack and lefty reliever Danny Coulombe. But Jax, Duran and young starter Joe Ryan are the ones who would bring back the biggest return. The Twins are said to be listening on everyone. But the team being up for sale since October, and in limbo ever since prospective buyer Justin Ishbia increased his ownership stake in the White Sox in early June, has complicated matters with longer-term players. — Alden Gonzalez
July 22 updates
An Orioles starting pitcher to watch: It seems very likely that Charlie Morton (3.47 ERA last 12 appearances) will be traded, within a relatively thin starting pitching market with a lot of teams looking for rotation help — the Padres, Yankees, maybe the Mets or Astros; a number of teams have expressed interest. In the past, Morton has had a preference to pitch for a team closer to the East Coast and his Florida home, but he doesn’t control that. O’s GM Mike Elias does. — Buster Olney
Will Cleveland deal All-Star outfielder? The player asked about the most on the Guardians’ roster is Steven Kwan, but given that he is two and a half years away from free agency, it’s unlikely he’ll be traded, according to sources. Kwan’s slash line this year: .288/.352/.398. He also has 11 stolen bases and has made consecutive All-Star appearances. — Olney
Braves not looking to move Murphy: Sean Murphy‘s name has been tossed around in trade speculation, but according to sources, he will not be available. Atlanta’s catcher is playing well this year and will be playing under a high-value contract for the next three seasons — $15 million per year from 2026 to 2028, plus a team option in ’29. And the Braves are set up well with the right-handed-hitting Murphy and left-handed-hitting Drake Baldwin perhaps sharing the catching and DH spots into the future. — Olney
Why the 2022 Cy Young winner isn’t the most in-demand Marlins starter: Edward Cabrera has become more coveted than Sandy Alcantara, who teams believe might take an offseason to fix. Alcantara’s strikeout-to-walk ratio is scary low — just 1.9 — and his ERA is 7.14. Cabrera, on the other hand, is striking out more than a batter per inning and his ERA sits at 3.61. The 27-year-old right-hander will come at a heavy cost for opposing teams. — Jesse Rogers
How Kansas City is approaching the trade deadline: The Royals have signaled a willingness to trade, but with an eye toward competing again next year — meaning they aren’t willing to part with the core of their pitching staff. Other teams say Kansas City is (unsurprisingly) looking to upgrade its future offense in whatever it does.
Right-handed starter Seth Lugo will be the most-watched Royal before the deadline, since he holds a $15 million player option for 2026 “that you’d assume he’s going to turn down,” said one rival staffer. That’ll make it more difficult for other teams to place a trade value on him: The Royals could want to market him as more than a mere rental, while other teams figure he’ll go into free agency in the fall when he turns down his option. — Olney
What the Dodgers need at the deadline: The Dodgers’ offense has been a source of consternation lately, with Max Muncy out, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman slumping, and key hitters tasked with lengthening out the lineup — Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto — also struggling.
But the Dodgers’ focus ahead of the deadline is still clearly the bullpen, specifically a high-leverage, right-handed reliever. Dodgers relievers lead the major leagues in innings pitched by a wide margin. Blake Treinen will be back soon, and Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol are expected to join him later in the season. But the Dodgers need at least one other trusted arm late in games.
It’s a stunning development, considering they returned the core of a bullpen that played a big role in last year’s championship run, then added Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in free agency. But Scott and Yates have had their struggles, and there are enough injury concerns with several others that it’s a need. — Alden Gonzalez
Which D-backs starter is most coveted? The Diamondbacks are getting as many calls — if not more — about Zac Gallen as they are for Merrill Kelly, even though the latter starting pitcher is having the better season. Teams interested in adding to their rotations still have more faith in the 29-year-old Gallen than the 36-year-old Kelly. — Rogers
Who are the White Sox looking to deal? Chicago’s Adrian Houser seems likely to move, as a second-tier starter who has performed well this season. The 32-year-old right-hander was released by the Rangers in May but has been very effective since joining the White Sox rotation, giving up only two homers in 57⅔ innings and generating an ERA+ of 226. Nobody is taking those numbers at face value, but evaluators do view him as a market option. The White Sox also have some relievers worth considering.
But it seems unlikely that Luis Robert Jr. — once projected as a centerpiece of this deadline — will be dealt, unless a team makes a big bet on a player who has either underperformed or been hurt this year. The White Sox could continue to wait on Robert’s talent to manifest and his trade value to be restored by picking up his $20 million option for next year, which is hardly out of the question for a team with little future payroll obligation. — Olney
Why Rockies infielder could be popular deadline option: Colorado’s Ryan McMahon is the consolation prize for teams that miss out on Eugenio Suarez — if he’s traded at all. The Cubs could have interest and would pair him with Matt Shaw as a lefty/righty combo at third base. — Rogers
Does San Diego have enough to offer to make a big deal? The Padres have multiple needs ahead of the trade deadline — a left fielder, a catcher, a back-end starter. How adequately they can address them remains to be seen. The upper levels of their farm system have thinned out in recent years, and their budget might be tight.
The Padres dipped under MLB’s luxury-tax threshold last year, resetting the penalties. But FanGraphs projects their competitive balance tax payroll to finish at $263 million this year, easily clearing the 2025 threshold and just barely putting them into the second tier, triggering a 12% surcharge.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller might have to get creative in order to address his needs. One way he can do that is by buying and selling simultaneously. The Padres have several high-profile players who can hit the market this offseason — Dylan Cease, Michael King, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez — and a few others who can hit the open market after 2026. Don’t be surprised to see Preller leverage at least one of those players, and their salaries, to help fill multiple needs. — Gonzalez
Which Orioles could be on the move? Not surprisingly, Baltimore is perceived as a dealer and is expected by other teams to move center fielder Cedric Mullins, first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and some relievers. — Olney
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