MAC preview: Ohio will need to fend off Toledo, Buffalo as it looks for repeat
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Bill Connelly
“There’s a lot of people talking about Group of 5, Power 4, the money and the resources and NIL. It’s about the players and it’s about lining up and banging heads and [may] the best man win. You saw that [Saturday].” — Northern Illinois athletic director Sean Frazier, after the Huskies’ 2024 upset of Notre Dame.
The MAC is proof that a big tent can produce occasionally incredible things. As college football keeps trending toward closing up shop and distributing more money to fewer schools, and as the idea of a so-called “super league” — one that would either limit or completely eliminate opportunities for MAC-level schools — continues to waft around, this league and its teams keep trying to find ways to make noise. NIU’s big moment in 2024 proved that, given enough opportunities, they can still do so. In the past 25 seasons, MAC teams have scored 78 wins over power-conference teams, and while nearly half of those have come from NIU (14), Bowling Green (12) and Toledo (11), 14 current and former MAC programs have posted at least one.
Current circumstances are making things awfully difficult, though. The bottom half of the MAC has always been pretty shaky, and 2024 was no exception: MAC teams occupied four of the bottom 15 slots in the year-end SP+ rankings, which also ranked 0-12 Kent State as the worst FBS team in four years. Then came a brutal offseason in which (A) NIU arranged to leave for the Mountain West in 2026, (B) MAC teams got hit harder than anyone else by the transfer portal and general attrition (the MAC’s 41.1% returning production average was more than 12 percentage points below the national average), (C) the reigning conference champion (Ohio) lost head coach Tim Albin to a Charlotte program that has had just one winning season ever in FBS, and (D) Bowling Green head coach Scot Loeffler left for an NFL position coach job in the spring.
In a college football universe with NIL money and unrestricted transfers, continuity is growing increasingly difficult in MACtion country. But the conference still boasts some proven coaches and high-level talent, and stars will inevitably emerge. Let’s preview the MAC!
Throughout the summer, Bill Connelly will preview every FBS conference, ultimately including all 136 FBS teams. The previews will include 2024 breakdowns, 2025 previews and team-by-team capsules.
2024 recap
NIU stole the early headlines, but injuries and offensive struggles rendered Thomas Hammock’s Huskies an afterthought in the conference race. By midseason, it became increasingly clear that Ohio and Miami (Ohio) were the MAC’s safest bets. Miami beat Ohio 30-20 in the regular season, but the Bobcats’ offense ignited from there, averaging 36.7 points during a season-ending seven-game winning streak that included a 38-3 throttling of Miami in the MAC championship game.
Continuity table
The continuity table looks at each team’s returning production levels (offense, defense and overall), the number of 2024 FBS starts from both returning and incoming players and the approximate number of redshirt freshmen on the roster heading into 2025. (Why “approximate”? Because schools sometimes make it very difficult to ascertain who redshirted and who didn’t.) Continuity is an increasingly difficult art in roster management, but some teams pull it off better than others.
From Miami corner Raion Strader (Auburn) to Bowling Green running back Terion Stewart (Virginia Tech) to NIU quarterback Ethan Hampton (Illinois) to Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol (Houston) to a number of high-level Ohio defenders, MAC teams lost numerous stars to power-conference schools. In all, eight MAC teams (including four with new head coaches) rank in the bottom 18 in returning production.
Toledo and Buffalo mostly avoided the same fate, however. The Rockets and Bulls both rank in the top 50 in returning production, and during an intriguing nine-win season in which his Bulls improved from 119th to 87th in SP+, second-year Buffalo head coach Pete Lembo was able to build a solid base of redshirt freshmen as well.
Despite losing Albin, Ohio attempted continuity by promoting offensive coordinator Brian Smith to head coach, and he was able to hold on to at least a few key pieces, including quarterback Parker Navarro, left tackle Davion Weatherspoon and safety DJ Walker. SP+ suggests that might be enough to keep the Bobcats in MAC contention.
2025 projections
Only four teams start out with top-100 projections, and they make sense: They’re the two who played in the title game last year (Ohio and Miami) and the two who return the most from 2024 bowl teams (Toledo and Buffalo). The odds of at least one of those teams clicking and playing at a top-50 or top-60 level are pretty good.
The odds are also pretty good that the bottom portion of the conference is going to be awfully poor. UMass returns to the MAC with a new coach (former Rutgers assistant Joe Harasymiak) and almost no expectations, and four of the bottom five slots in the recent SP+ projections went to MAC teams.
(* Akron is ineligible for the postseason due to APR issues.)
The aforementioned four top-100 teams have a combined 65% chance of winning the conference title. But I guess that means there’s still a greater than one-in-three chance of an underdog run, huh?
Five best games of 2025
Here are the five conference games that feature (A) the highest combined SP+ ratings for both teams and (B) a projected scoring margin of less than 10 points.
Oct. 11: Toledo at Bowling Green. Most of the MAC’s biggest games take place once the conference shifts to midweek MACtion games in November, but this will be an early tone-setter between a talented Toledo team with a navigable early schedule and a BGSU team with quite a few question marks and an intriguing new head coach in Eddie George.
Nov. 4: Miami (Ohio) at Ohio. Last year’s two best teams jockey for position. Miami is a projected favorite in the five games preceding this one.
Nov. 12: Toledo at Miami (Ohio). Two MACtion weeks, two huge games for Chuck Martin’s RedHawks.
Nov. 19: Miami (Ohio) at Buffalo. Make that three huge games in three weeks for Miami.
Nov. 28: Ohio at Buffalo. Buffalo’s schedule offers up a massive opportunity: After the season opener against Minnesota, Lembo’s Bulls are projected favorites in 10 straight games before Ohio visits over Thanksgiving weekend.
Conference title (and, technically, CFP) contenders
Head coach: Jason Candle (10th year, 73-40 overall)
2025 projection: 72nd in SP+ (77th offense, 63rd defense), 8.8 average wins, 6.4 conference wins
It feels impossible to adequately evaluate Jason Candle. On one hand, despite running the program with more consistent investment and high-quality recruiting than any conference mate, he’s won only two MAC titles in 10 years. It’s always going to feel like the title rate should be higher than that for the Rockets.
On the other hand, Candle’s Rockets have won 11 games twice and have taken down Arkansas, Iowa State, BYU, Mississippi State and Pitt (the last two were both in 2024). His next win will be his 74th at UT, passing Gary Pinkel’s total for the most in school history. He fielded some awesome offenses early in his tenure, and when the Toledo defense crumbled a few years ago, he made a fantastic defensive coordinator hire (Vince Kehres) to right the ship. He’s never finished with a losing record. Basically, he’s been good enough to keep his job but not quite good enough to get hired away by power-conference programs. And with solid continuity (especially at QB and in a very good secondary), it sure feels like he’ll have a chance at a third MAC title this season. After a season-opening visit to Kentucky, the Rockets are projected favorites in every remaining game.
Beating Mississippi State (by 24!) and Pitt but losing to Akron, among others, certainly suggests things went sideways for a bit last year. The main reason was an offense that slipped to 88th in offensive SP+, the worst ranking of the Candle era. The Rockets scored 15 or fewer in four MAC games, losing all four, and the run game was the primary culprit: The Rockets were just 124th in rushing success rate. The line was leaning on youngsters, and the RBs didn’t break nearly enough tackles.
Candle didn’t make any major staff changes but brought in four offensive line transfers, plus running backs Chip Trayanum (Kentucky) and Kenji Christian (NC A&T), to shore things up. If those moves work, the passing game, featuring veteran quarterback Tucker Gleason, last year’s leading receiver Junior Vandeross III and NIU transfer Trayvon Rudolph — and, perhaps, sophomore and former star recruit Zy’marion Lang — could be the primary beneficiary.
There are fewer questions on defense, where Kehres’ unit has averaged a 55.0 defensive SP+ ranking over the last three seasons. Granted, every starter in the front six is gone, but end Malachi Davis and tackle Martez Poynter are sturdy veterans, and the portal brought players like end Louce Julien (6.5 TFLs at UMass) and linebacker Hudson Miller (five starts at Purdue). The secondary was the strength of the UT defense last year, and five of last year’s top seven return, including a dynamite nickel back in Braden Awls. Sophomore transfers Amare Snowden and Braedyn Moore, both former blue-chippers from Wisconsin, could contribute quickly too.
Head coach: Brian Smith (first year)
2025 projection: 80th in SP+ (83rd offense, 79th defense), 7.4 average wins, 5.7 conference wins
Ohio won 10 games under Tim Albin in both 2022 and 2023 but lost an incredible 10 starters, led by quarterback Kurtis Rourke (Indiana) and all-conference tackle Kurt Danneker (Baylor), to power-conference transfers. It was an absolute bounty of talent walking out the door. And then the Bobcats won 11 games and a MAC title in 2024. It was easily one of the best coaching performances of the season. But instead of attempting to pull off a similar magic act in 2025, Albin left for a new project at Charlotte, and OC Brian Smith moved up to the bigger office.
In quarterback Parker Navarro (2,423 passing yards, 1,143 non-sack rushing yards in 2024), left tackle Davion Weatherspoon, safety DJ Walker and corner Tank Pearson, plus returning running back Sieh Bangura (who transferred to Minnesota in 2024 but returned), Smith kept some proven pieces in Athens, and by MAC standards, continuity levels aren’t too bad. But the concept of the double-dip is still a scary one. They still must replace their leading receiver, at least three starting offensive linemen, at least four rotation linemen and basically every linebacker for the second straight season. Even if you survive major turnover once, having to do so year after year — and while changing head coaches, no less — certainly brings about more opportunities for regression.
Bangura’s return is a welcome one; he and Navarro form one of the most proven MAC backfields, but they’ll have an awfully new line in front of them. Those responsible for only 20 of last year’s 70 OL starts are back, and four transfers, including small-school starters Nick Marinaro (Dartmouth) and Josh Waite (Shippensburg), might have to make immediate contributions. Leading receiver Coleman Owen is gone too, potentially leaving a big-play void.
Smith wisely held on to defensive coordinator John Hauser, whose first Bobcat defense kept opponents both inefficient and nonexplosive in 2024.
Like Toledo, Ohio boasts far more proven entities in the back than in the front. The combination of Walker, Pearson, nickel Adonis Williams, transfers Rickey Hyatt Jr. (South Alabama) and Ronald Jackson Jr. (Montana) and perhaps a youngster like sophomore Tony Mathis should keep quarterbacks frustrated. But senior tackle Bralen Henderson will see lots of new rotation pieces around him. Senior ends Kaci Seegars and Walter Bob Jr. should be solid up front, but depth is an obvious concern. No returning or incoming linebacker logged more than 17 snaps in 2024.
Head coach: Pete Lembo (second year, 9-4 overall)
2025 projection: 91st in SP+ (104th offense, 78th defense), 7.7 average wins, 5.5 conference wins
Ohio’s optimistic projection is based quite a bit on the Bobcats’ strong recent history. Buffalo, however, seems to have quite a bit more in the “proven entities” department. Pete Lembo was Ball State’s head coach from 2011-15 and engineered as many bowl trips (two) as the program has seen in the nine years since his departure. He engineered immediate improvement in his return to MAC life too, and now leading rusher Al-Jay Henderson, leading receiver Victor Snow, three starting O-linemen and 12 of 17 defenders with at least 200 snaps all return. The large load of redshirts should assure solid depth.
The defense didn’t grade out any better than the offense last year, but it seems to have fewer question marks in 2025. End Kobe Stewart and linebackers Red Murdock and Dion Crawford combined for 42.5 tackles for loss, 37 run stops and 20 sacks last season — no one else in this conference boasts that kind of play-making star power. The return of 300-pound senior George Wolo (injured in 2024) should assure the requisite size up front. The secondary gave up too many big plays last season (especially considering the quality of the pass rush), but returning seven of last year’s top eight DBs and adding both a young power-conference transfer (Arizona State corner Keontez Bradley) and a small-school star (Shepherd safety Miles Greer) offers more options.
The offense has a bit more to prove, but size should help: From a pure height-and-weight standpoint, the depth chart should look like something from a power conference. Henderson measures in at 6-foot-0, 210 pounds, wideouts Nik McMillan (6-1, 224) and Chance Morrow (6-6, 195) could play big roles, and two potential all-MAC guards, Trevor Brock and Tyler Doty, average 6-6 and 325 pounds between them. Snow, a former walk-on, is a little guy in the slot (5-8, 165), but he proved steady and durable in 2024, catching at least four passes in nine games.
Note that I haven’t said a word about the quarterback position yet. With C.J. Ogbonna gone, offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude will likely be choosing between 2024 backup Gunnar Gray and, more likely, journeyman Ta’Quan Roberson. Roberson has thrown for 2,188 career yards and was decent at UConn (one of his three former schools) in 2023. He should be able to lean on a solid run game, but Ogbonna was capable of big plays here and there, and Roberson has averaged just 10.3 yards per completion in his career. MAC contention will probably require more than that.
A couple of breaks away from a run
Head coach: Chuck Martin (12th year, 65-67 overall)
2025 projection: 96th in SP+ (135th offense, 35th defense), 6.5 average wins, 4.7 conference wins
Chuck Martin was designed in a lab to frustrate me. He eschews analytics as it pertains to fourth downs. (The RedHawks went for it just 11 times in 101 fourth-down opportunities, a 10.9% go rate that ranked 133rd in FBS.) He is all-in on the “play not to lose” game management approach, and it’s contributed to a 22-31 career record in one-score finishes since he began at Miami in 2014. He’s old-school in a lot of unhelpful ways.
He’s also one hell of a program builder. He took over when Miami was at a particularly low ebb, and he has built things brick by brick.
Miami, 2014-15: 5-19 record, 120.0 average SP+ ranking
Miami, 2016-22: 40-40 record, 93.9 average SP+ ranking
Miami, 2023-24: 20-8 record, 63.5 average SP+ ranking
Martin and his remarkably consistent staff — in 11 years, he’s had two offensive coordinators and three defensive coordinators — identify and develop talent well, play physical and reasonably uncomplicated ball, put major focus on special teams and create the highest floor of any MAC team.
We’re going to find out a lot about the stability of said floor in 2025. At this point I trust Martin to continue to produce solid two-deeps with athleticism that exceeds their recruiting rankings. But … damn, did the RedHawks lose a lot this offseason: Every primary offensive starter is gone, as are basically 5.5 of the starters in the defensive front six. The secondary remains mostly intact, but ace cornerback Raion Strader left for Auburn.
Martin inked only three defensive transfers — a solid show of faith in last year’s backups and potential stars like edge rusher Adam Trick and safety Silas Walters. But the offense underwent a portal overhaul: quarterback Dequan Finn (Toledo/Baylor), five receivers (including former Notre Dame blue-chipper Deion Colzie), two tight ends and three offensive linemen came aboard. Finn, running backs Kenny Tracy (injured in 2024) and Jordan Brunson should form the base of a strong run game if the offensive line holds up, and the defense gets the benefit of the doubt. But losing this much production is almost a guarantee of regression. We’ll see if Martin’s program-building prowess can prevent a collapse.
Head coach: Thomas Hammock (seventh year, 32-38 overall)
2025 projection: 106th in SP+ (133rd offense, 61st defense), 6.3 average wins, 4.5 conference wins
Like many evaluation-and-development guys, Thomas Hammock was relatively slow to embrace portal life. NIU’s head coach brought in just 15 total transfers from 2022-24, but he’s grabbed 13 this offseason. He needed reinforcements just about everywhere he looked. The Huskies’ classic upset of Notre Dame drove an eight-win season — NIU’s third winning year in four — but Hammock’s Huskies lost their starting quarterback, their top two running backs, their top four pass catchers, five of their top six offensive linemen, and 11 of 16 defenders with at least 200 snaps (including the top four defensive tackles). Defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto left for Fresno State, too.
For a wobbly offense, this turnover could be seen as an opportunity for renewal. NIU ranked 115th in offensive SP+ for each of the last two seasons; the run game was decent last season, but the Huskies ranked 103rd in yards per dropback with no discernible explosiveness in the passing game. Hammock made an inspired coordinator hire, bringing in Quinn Sanders, the University of Charleston head coach who oversaw the No. 1 offense in Division II (per SP+). Charleston combined a relentless run game with over-the-top passing; one could see how that might be appealing to the physicality-minded Hammock.
Hammock brought in quarterback Jackson Proctor, a decent dual-threat from Dartmouth, but QB appears to be Josh Holst‘s job to lose. The sophomore was strong in the Huskies’ 28-20 bowl win over Fresno State, and sophomore RB Telly Johnson Jr. became the go-to back late in the season. That’s a good starting point, but only one returning receiver gained more than 60 receiving yards, and the line will be loaded with sophomores and juniors. It’ll be big, though: Hammock has established a nice pipeline of guys listed at 6-foot-4 or taller and 300 pounds or heavier.
It’s harder to make light of the defensive turnover. NIU has averaged a top-40 defensive SP+ ranking over the last two seasons but basically returns 2.5 starters on that side of the ball. Defensive end Roy Williams and corner Jacob Finley are solid starting points on the perimeter, but new coordinator Rob Harley might need smaller-school transfers like tackle Dasean Dixon (Albany) and safety Jasper Beeler (Saginaw Valley State) to thrive quickly. Otherwise the two-deep will be loaded with freshmen and sophomores.
Head coach: Eddie George (first year)
2025 projection: 111th in SP+ (98th offense, 121st defense), 5.3 average wins, 4.0 conference wins
Scot Loeffler was starting to get somewhere. After going just 7-22 in his first three seasons at BGSU, he hovered around .500 each year from 2022 to 2024, but the underlying numbers (122nd in SP+ in 2022, 94th in 2023, 77th in 2024) suggested excellent progress. In 2024, the Falcons had their best offense in nine years and their best defense in 11. But Loeffler left to become the Philadelphia Eagles’ QBs coach in late February — an understandable but extremely inconvenient move.
BGSU made an intriguing replacement hire, however, in Eddie George, the Ohio State legend and, more recently, author of a nice revival at Tennessee State. After going 15-18 in his first three seasons at TSU, his Tigers jumped to 9-4 with a first FCS playoff bid last fall. He brought both TSU coordinators with him (OC Travis Partridge, DC Brandon Fisher), and after Loeffler had already added 15 transfers in the winter, George signed another 10.
Translation: This is going to be a new team. BGSU’s 59 returning starts are the third lowest in a turnover-heavy conference, and 47 of those starts are from one unit (OL). The defense returns basically 0.5 starters (safety Darius Lorfils, who started six games).
I’m really intrigued by some of the defensive newcomers, though. Defensive tackle Eriq George (son of the coach) had 12.5 TFLs for TSU, and linebacker Gideon Lampron had 26.5 TFLs at Dayton. Corners Mark Cannon Jr. (Illinois State) and Jalen McClendon (TSU) combined for four picks and 32 pass breakups. Throw in some youngsters with strong recruiting rankings — defensive lineman Collins Acheampong (UCLA), linebacker Andrew Hines (Wake Forest), safety Jay’Quan Bostic (Toledo), corner Key’on Washington (West Virginia) — and George might have something here.
The offense might not have quite as much upside, but experience could produce a high floor. The line indeed returns four starters, all seniors, and veterans Drew Pyne (Mizzou) and Justin Lamson (Stanford) will compete at QB. The skill corps, however, is a total mystery. Tight end Arlis Boardingham (Florida) is athletic, and receivers Brennan Ridley (Hampton) and Allen Middleton (Southern Illinois) combined for 1,018 receiving yards as FCS freshmen, but it’s hard to determine who might see a ton of the ball in 2025.
Head coach: Matt Drinkall (first year)
2025 projection: 117th in SP+ (127th offense, 102nd defense), 5.3 average wins, 4.0 conference wins
Matt Drinkall inherits personnel from a team that won only 13 games in its last three years under Jim McElwain, and he might institute a pretty big stylistic shift with unproven offensive personnel. This doesn’t feel like the start of an “a couple of breaks away from a run” tale. But a friendly schedule and actual defensive continuity — a rare commodity in this conference — might make the Chippewas improvement candidates.
Drinkall brings NAIA success to the table — he improved Kansas Wesleyan from 2-9 to 13-1 with a playoff semifinal run over five years in Salina — and he was asked by Jeff Monken to modernize Army’s option attack following rule changes in 2023. The changes didn’t really take, and he was demoted to Army O-line coach in 2024, but the Iowa grad still has Midwestern ties and an interesting offensive background.
We probably won’t see much of an option attack with incumbent Joe Labas the likely starting QB. Labas started half of 2024 before a season-ending injury; his full-season numbers (seven TDs, seven INTs) were colored by a horrid, five-INT performance against Florida International, but he wasn’t much of a runner regardless. The return of slot man Tyson Davis (injured in 2023) assures at least one experienced wideout, but no other returnee had more than 66 receiving yards in 2024, and Tulane transfer Trey Cornist is officially the most proven running back … with 149 rushing yards last year. Drinkall is an O-line guy, and CMU should have good size up front, plus maybe some help from FCS transfers John Iannuzzi (Columbia) and Jacob Russell (Valpo).
Veteran Sean Cronin, most recently Army’s D-line coach, takes over as defensive coordinator, and his No. 1 task is bringing stability to a dramatically all-or-nothing unit: CMU ranked 11th nationally in stuff rate and 13th in sack rate but gave up a spectacular number of big plays. Linebackers Jordan Kwiatkowski and Dakota Cochran (combined: 23.5 TFLs) are thrilling, and safety Caleb Spann thrives near the line of scrimmage. They are undeniable playmakers, and cornerback Kalen Carroll (Cincinnati) is one of the conference’s few incoming power-conference starters. But glitches were devastating in 2024, and Cronin will likely dial the risk profile back a bit.
Head coach: Chris Creighton (12th year, 57-75 overall)
2025 projection: 113th in SP+ (116th offense, 111th defense), 5.1 average wins, 3.5 conference wins
Chris Creighton has been pulling off .500ish seasons at EMU for long enough that we’re forgetting how impressive going .500 at EMU really is. The Eagles won five games just three times in the 24 seasons before Creighton’s arrival from Drake in 2014, and now they’ve bowled six times in the past nine years. Collapsing from 5-2 to 5-7 last year, thanks to both epic injury issues and close defeats, was a genuine disappointment instead of a roundabout accomplishment.
With so many MAC programs dealing with major turnover, this would feel like an opportunity for Creighton and EMU … if they weren’t dealing with the same thing. The Eagles return only four players who started more than five games last season, though the injuries meant that quite a few of the returnees saw the field. That’s especially true on defense, where 11 returnees started at least once. Still, Creighton brought in seven defensive transfers (plus four JUCOs) to assure a rebound for a unit that collapsed from 67th to 115th in defensive SP+. New playmakers need to emerge, but defensive end Jefferson Adam made 5.5 TFLs in just 185 snaps, and nickel back Barry Manning had three run stops and two pass breakups in 193 snaps; both could become stars with starter-level playing time.
The offense collapsed to 130th in offensive SP+ in 2023 but rebounded a bit last year despite 18 guys starting at least one game. Only six of those 18 return, but I’m intrigued by newcomers like quarterback Cameron Edge (Maryland) and running back James Jointer Jr. (Liberty), and receiver Terry Lockett Jr. is one of the league’s more explosive returning wideouts. The bar for further improvement is pretty low — just keep guys semi-healthy, and you could return to the top 100.
Since Creighton’s arrival, only NIU has played in more one-score games among MAC teams than EMU — almost surprising considering EMU’s fast-paced offense and fourth-down willingness — and that dynamic probably won’t change in 2025: Ten of the Eagles’ 12 games are projected within single digits, and six of the last eight are projected within a touchdown. Win the close ones they didn’t win last year, and 2025 will be pretty exciting.
Just looking for a path to 6-6
Head coach: Lance Taylor (third year, 10-15 overall)
2025 projection: 118th in SP+ (112th offense, 117th defense), 4.8 average wins, 3.5 conference wins
After back-to-back losing seasons for a seemingly stalling WMU program, 2024 brought some positivity: Thanks primarily to a 5-1 record against teams ranked in the triple digits in SP+, Lance Taylor’s Broncos eked out six wins and a bowl bid.
In terms of balancing efficiency and explosiveness, the WMU offense was one of the more well-rounded in the conference.
Walt Bell’s offense is predicated around strong rushing and quick passing; it’s an obvious concern that only 2.5 starters return (tight end Blake Bosma, guard John Hofer and receiver and seven-game starter Malique Dieudonne), but junior running back Jalen Buckley (683 yards, nine TDs) is good, Bosma (88% catch rate) is an efficiency cheat code, and Taylor brought in intriguing power-conference transfers such as running back Cole Cabana (Michigan), receiver Christian Leary (Alabama/Georgia Tech) and linemen Raheem Anderson (Michigan) and Hunter Whitenack (Illinois). Quarterback Hayden Wolff is gone, but I think either sophomore Broc Lowry or JC All-American Brady Jones will fill in pretty well there.
The defense hasn’t yet generated any traction under Taylor, who is on his third coordinator in three years. New DC Chris O’Leary was a Notre Dame analyst and, in 2024, the safeties coach for Jim Harbaugh’s L.A. Chargers. This feels like a high-ceiling, low-floor hire, and O’Leary’s success in 2025 will be derived primarily from a number of smaller-school transfers, the most intriguing of which are probably defensive end Kershawn Fisher (Nicholls), linebacker Sefa Saipaia (Ferris State), corner Jordon Thomas (Eastern Kentucky) and safety Marvin Smith (Alabama A&M). Returning safety Tate Hallock is a keeper, but newcomers will tell the tale.
Head coach: Joe Moorhead (fourth year, 8-28 overall)
2025 projection: 132nd in SP+ (131st offense, 120th defense), 4.5 average wins, 3.2 conference wins
In three years at Akron, Joe Moorhead has proved to be a pretty solid talent evaluator, and going 4-8 in 2024 — after the Zips went a combined 7-47 from 2019-23 — was an undeniable success. But hard jobs remain hard in perpetuity; Moorhead hasn’t made any progress on offense (average offensive SP+ ranking: 126.7), the Zips’ APR scores have dropped enough to get them banned from the postseason (not that six wins was particularly likely anyway), and Moorhead’s primary reward for solid talent identification is that said talent has been plucked away: Seven Zips transferred to power-conference teams this offseason.
It’s kind of a lost year already, in other words. But in Michael Johnson Jr. (Syracuse), running back Chris Gee (Colgate), O-lineman Allen Jones Jr. (West Alabama), prolific linebacker Cam Hollobaugh (Walsh), safety Mehki Flowers (Penn State) and others, Moorhead’s 2025 transfer haul has decent upside. So, too, might returnees like veteran quarterback Ben Finley, 6-foot-7 defensive end Bruno Dall, linebacker Shammond Cooper (injured in 2023) and junior corner Elijah Reed.
Akron is a projected favorite in only three games but is a projected one-score underdog in five others — overachieving against projections just a little could make this a decent season, even if bowling is already off the table.
Head coach: Mike Uremovich (first year)
2025 projection: 134th in SP+ (123rd offense, 131st defense), 3.4 average wins, 2.5 conference wins
After the slow rise and equally slow fall of the eight-year Mike Neu era, Mike Uremovich takes the reins at BSU. The NIU grad and former Temple and NIU offensive coordinator knows the MAC and has crafted success from limited Midwestern resources at both NAIA’s St. Francis (Illinois) and FCS’ Butler. His 2024 Butler team ranked 35th in SP+, easily the highest in the non-scholarship Pioneer Conference.
Uremovich’s offense is generally built around adapting to player strengths, and the primary strength of his 2025 Cardinals might be versatility. Senior quarterback Kiael Kelly is a better athlete than passer, and running back transfer Qua Ashley (Kennesaw State) caught 28 balls out of the backfield last year. Throw in slot man (and punt returner) Qian Magwood and 5-foot-8 Bucknell WR transfer Eric Weatherly, and you’ve got a set of bouncy and versatile, if not particularly large, skill-corps guys. They could also have the largest pair of tackles in the MAC with returnee Chris Hood (6-foot-10!) potentially pairing with Butler transfer Adam Dolan (6-foot-8), for whatever that’s worth.
Despite BSU’s defensive collapse, Uremovich kept coordinator Jeff Knowles in place, and with good reason: He was Uremovich’s DC at Butler in 2023. The defensive front returns disruptive options in linebacker Joey Stemler and tackle Darin Conley, but a poor secondary has been overhauled. Uremovich brought in 10 defensive transfers, but only three are seniors — this might be a multiyear rebuild on D.
Head coach: Joe Harasymiak (first year)
2025 projection: 13th in SP+ (119th offense, 135th defense), 3.5 average wins, 2.2 conference wins
It’s been a pretty directionless FBS run for UMass. The Minutemen spent their first four FBS seasons in the MAC before choosing independence over all-sports membership, but after nine years and just 18 wins, they’re back. At head coach, they’ve tried veteran retreads (Mark Whipple, Don Brown) and young hotshots (Walt Bell), and nothing has generated traction. Now it’s time to go Full Rutgers. Massachusetts native Joe Harasymiak takes over after three years as Greg Schiano’s defensive coordinator at RU. Schiano is the ultimate, obsessive “skip no steps” program builder, and one can see the appeal to such an approach at UMass.
Harasymiak brought in 34 transfers, but while a few of them are seniors who could contribute quickly — quarterback Grant Jordan (Yale), offensive lineman Mike Entwistle (Harvard), defensive end Josh Nobles (Jackson State), linebacker Timmy Hinspeter (Rutgers), safety Malcolm Greene (Virginia) — some of the more intriguing players on the roster are underclassmen.
Redshirt freshman quarterback AJ Hairston could fend off both Jordan and Utah transfer Brandon Rose for playing time at QB, while transfers like running back Rocko Griffin (UTSA), receiver Tyree Kelly (USF), tackle Malachi Madison (Virginia Tech), linebacker Nick Hawthorne (Boise State) and disruptive safeties Kendall Bournes (Concord) and Zeraun Daniel (Georgetown) are all juniors or younger.
This is going to take some time. UMass is a projected favorite in only one 2025 game, but hey, when you’ve averaged only two wins per season in FBS, the bar for progress is awfully low.
Interim head coach: Mark Carney
2025 projection: 136th in SP+ (134th offense, 133rd defense), 2.8 average wins, 2.2 conference wins
If the bar is low at UMass, it’s just laying on the floor at Kent State. Under head coach Kenni Burns, the Golden Flashes went just 1-23 in two seasons, but it’s actually even worse than that: In my year-end, all-division SP+ rankings, they not only ranked a distant last among the 134 FBS teams, they ranked 227th overall, behind 79 FCS teams and 14 Division II teams. They would have been well below average in the FCS’ Missouri Valley Football Conference. Hell, they’d have been fourth in D2’s GLIAC. This was an utterly atrocious football team.
That just means there’s nowhere to go but up, right? Even with Burns getting dismissed at just about the most awkward possible time of year (mid-April) and offensive coordinator Mark Carney taking over as interim head coach, it’s going to be almost impossible to be that bad again.
I’m not going to try to sell you on the merits of transfers like quarterback CJ Montes (Fordham), offensive lineman Jamarcus Hill (Southeast Missouri), defensive end Jamond Mathis (Southern Illinois) and defensive tackle Thomas Aden (Pitt) or genuinely decent returnees like guard Dustyn Morell or nickelback Canaan Williams. I’m just going to note that, with so many other MAC teams facing major turnover, Kent State could be close enough to the rest of the pack to win a game or two. And when the bar is set at “midtier GLIAC team,” it’s pretty easy to maybe show a sign or two of progress.
CHICAGO — Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Fame second baseman who became one of baseball’s best all-around players while starring for the Chicago Cubs died Monday at age 65.
Sandberg was surrounded by his family when he died at his home, according to the team.
Sandberg announced in January 2024 that he was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. He had chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and then said in August 2024 that he was cancer-free.
But he posted on Instagram on Dec. 10 that his cancer had returned and spread to other organs. He announced this month that he was still fighting, while “looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends.”
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said Sandberg “will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise.”
“His dedication to and respect for the game, along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and competitive fire were hallmarks of his career,” Ricketts said in the team’s statement.
The Cubs said they would wear a special jersey patch to commemorate Sandberg for the rest of the season.
Sandberg was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. He was selected out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft.
He made his major league debut in 1981 and went 1-for-6 in 13 games with the Phillies. In January 1982, he was traded to Chicago with Larry Bowa for veteran infielder Ivan De Jesus.
It turned into one of the most lopsided deals in baseball history.
Sandberg hit .285 with 282 homers, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals in 15 years with Chicago. He made 10 All-Star teams — winning the Home Run Derby in 1990 — and collected nine Gold Gloves.
“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said. “He was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic.”
Even with Sandberg’s stellar play, the Cubs made only two postseason appearances in his time there.
He was the National League MVP in 1984, batting .314 with 19 homers, 84 RBIs, 32 steals, 19 triples and 114 runs scored. Chicago won the NL East and Sandberg hit .368 (7-for-19) in the playoffs, but the Cubs were eliminated by San Diego after winning the first two games of the NL Championship Series at Wrigley Field.
The 1984 season featured what Cubs fans still call “The Sandberg Game,” when he homered twice and drove in seven runs in a 12-11 victory over St. Louis in 11 innings on June 23.
The Cubs paid tribute to Sandberg and that game when they unveiled a statue of the infielder outside Wrigley Field on that date in 2024.
“He was a superhero in this city,” Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations, said during a TV broadcast of the team’s game on July 20. “You think about [Michael] Jordan, Walter Payton and Ryne Sandberg all here at the same time, and I can’t imagine a person handling their fame better, their responsibility for a city better than he did.”
Sandberg led Chicago back to the playoffs in 1989, hitting .290 with 30 homers as the Cubs won the NL East. He batted .400 (8-for-20) in the NLCS, but Chicago lost to San Francisco in five games.
Sandberg set a career high with an NL-best 40 homers in 1990 and drove in a career-best 100 runs in 1990 and 1991, but he never made it back to the postseason. He retired after the 1997 season.
“When you examine the offense and defense, you’ll find some years where he was the best player you’ve ever seen in your life,” former Cubs first baseman Mark Grace said.
Sandberg was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, receiving 76.2% of the vote by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in his third year on the ballot. The Cubs retired his No. 23 that same season.
“Ryne Sandberg had a relentless work ethic and an unshakable positive outlook,” Hall of Fame chair Jane Forbes Clark said. “With it, he inspired all those who knew him.”
Sandberg also managed the Phillies from August 2013 to June 2015, going 119-159. He got the interim job when Charlie Manuel was fired, and he resigned with the Phillies in the middle of a difficult 2015 season.
Sandberg is survived by his wife, Margaret; his children, Justin, Lindsey, Steven, BR and Adriane; and 11 grandchildren.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DETROIT — Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez hopes he avoided a major injury when he was hit on the right index finger by a pitch late in Monday night’s 5-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Suárez, who is a candidate to be traded to a contender, was struck by a 95.6 mph sinker from Will Vest in the ninth inning. Suárez immediately doubled over in pain and quickly left the field.
“The good news is that the X-rays were negative, but it still obviously hurt,” said Suárez, who was not bending the finger. “There are more tests scheduled for [Tuesday], and we will go from there. I’ll come back as quickly as I can.”
The 34-year-old infielder is hitting .248 with 36 homers and 87 RBIs in 104 games this season — the seventh time he has hit at least 30 homers across the past eight full campaigns.
“He’s very tough, and he never even winces,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “When he reacts like that, you know it isn’t good.”
Lovullo said he didn’t blame Vest.
“I don’t think there was any intent there,” Lovullo said. “He’s one of the most impressive hitters in MLB, and you don’t want to take those type of players off the field.”
The Diamondbacks are 51-56 and already have signaled they will be unloading players at the deadline. One of the teams believed to be interested in Suárez is the Tigers. The Venezuelan was signed by Detroit at age 17 and made his debut for the club in 2014, before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds after that season.
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 | Passan’s preview | Fantasy spin
Jump to: Latest intel | Completed deals | Previous intel
This week’s MLB trade deadline buzz
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 keep up search for pitchers: 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. — Buster 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 looking for pitching help: 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
Brewers acquire catcher from Rays
The Milwaukee Brewers are working to finalize a deal to acquire catcher Danny Jansen from the Tampa Bay Rays, sources tell ESPN. The Rays are also working to acquire catcher Nick Fortes from the Miami Marlins, sources confirm to ESPN.
Tigers bolster pitching staff
The Detroit Tigers receive RHP Chris Paddack and RHP Randy Dobnak from the Minnesota Twins for C/1B Enrique Jimenez, sources tell ESPN. Story » | Grades »
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. As part of the deal, the Cardinals will cover the majority of what remains of Fedde’s 2025 salary of $7.5 million. Story »
Yankees make another deal for infield depth
The New York Yankees acquired utility man Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals for two minor leaguers. Story »
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. Story »
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. Story » | Grades »
Mets get bullpen help from O’s
The New York Mets have acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles. Story » | Grades »
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. Story » | Grades »
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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Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
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Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
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Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
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Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
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Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
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Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
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Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
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Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike