
Updated ranking of MLB’s top 50 trade deadline candidates: A new No. 1 and best landing spots
More Videos
Published
2 days agoon
By
admin-
Kiley McDaniel
CloseKiley McDaniel
ESPN MLB Insider
- ESPN MLB Insider
- Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
- Has worked for three MLB teams.
Co-author of Author of ‘Future Value’
Jul 21, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
With the July 31 MLB trade deadline less than two weeks away, it’s time for an update to our top 50 trade candidates ranking — starting with a new No. 1 player.
Major League Baseball’s trade market is ever evolving, and to keep you updated, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan have put together a list of potential trade candidates that will be updated leading up to the deadline depending on players’ performance — and that of the teams that could be involved in deals.
Some of the players on the list are unlikely to be traded but at least are being discussed in potential deals. Other names might not be on the list now but could be added over the next 10 days should their team’s fortunes change. Either way, this will be the most up-to-date accounting of where MLB’s trade market stands.
Note: Players ranked by value for their new team if traded, not likelihood of being dealt
Chance of trade: 90%
Suárez is in a contract year and playing like one of the best players in baseball. Only Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge have more home runs than his 33. Despite turning 34 years old before the trade deadline, Suárez is sitting near career highs in isolated power and wRC+ (which measures overall offensive performance). His fielding metrics have declined in recent years, but he’s still an acceptable defender at third base. Even if the Diamondbacks don’t offload all their free agents to be, Suárez could be moved because they’ve got Jordan Lawlar raking in Triple-A and primed to take over at third.
Best fits: New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants
Chance of trade: 20%
An All-Star the past two years and Gold Glove winner in all three of his previous big league seasons, Kwan is a do-everything left fielder with elite bat-to-ball skills and two years of club control after 2025. Cleveland doesn’t want to deal him, but with a dearth of available bats, the Guardians at the very least will listen to see if teams are willing to blow them away with offers.
Best fits: Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 25%
Duran had a huge breakout season in 2024, posting the seventh-best fWAR in the majors at 6.8. He overperformed his underlying metrics, though — i.e., had some lucky outcomes — and those metrics have regressed a bit this year. Now, he’s underperforming them — he has been unlucky — so his true talent is somewhere south of that star-level figure but better than the roughly 2 WAR (commensurate with a solid regular) he’s on pace for this season. With Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, the Red Sox have the outfield depth to consider moving Duran for controllable, top-end pitching.
Best fits: San Diego, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco, Philadelphia
1:14
Do the Yankees or Red Sox need to make a trade more?
Tim Kurkjian breaks down whether the Yankees or Red Sox are more in need of a move by the trade deadline.
Chance of trade: 50%
Alcantara was arguably the best pitcher in baseball in 2022, winning the NL Cy Young unanimously. He was more solid than spectacular in 2023 and missed 2024 with Tommy John surgery. He has been tinkering this season to try to get his pitch mix and locations right in hopes of regaining his former glory. His 7.14 ERA is unsightly, and with the Marlins still valuing him as a top starter, they could hold onto him until the winter, when teams such as the Baltimore Orioles would be more inclined to acquire him and the final two years of his contract.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Boston, Toronto, Arizona, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego, Baltimore
5. Seth Lugo, SP, Kansas City Royals
Chance of trade: 80%
Lugo has posted mid-3.00s or lower ERAs for five seasons despite having below-average fastball velocity and good-not-great strikeout rates. His ability to strand runners and limit hard contact comes in part due to his nine different pitches. With a Nathan Eovaldi-type contract awaiting Lugo in free agency, Kansas City could opt to move him, especially if Cole Ragans‘ injured shoulder doesn’t improve.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston, Toronto, San Diego, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 40%
Duran is one of the best relievers in the sport, thanks to his nasty stuff, headlined by a fastball that averages 100.2 mph and a splinker that sits 97.5 mph. He has two more years of team control after this season, so he’d demand a big trade package.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas Rangers
Chance of trade: 20%
Clase was nearly unhittable last season, but his numbers have regressed this year. He has issued more walks and gotten fewer ground balls while allowing more damage on his cutter that averages 99 mph — in part due to more center-cut locations. Under contract for less than $30 million through 2028, he would bring a big return to Cleveland.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
8. Kris Bubic, SP, Kansas City Royals
Chance of trade: 15%
With Lugo set to hit free agency and Ragans still on the shelf, the Royals would need to be bowled over to consider moving their All-Star left-hander. At the same time, with the pitching market thin, they understand that the sort of haul Bubic could bring is at least worth engaging on. With a 2.48 ERA and another year of club control, his value is sky-high, and he’s a legitimate solution for teams seeking a front-of-the-rotation starter.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, Toronto, Houston
9. Cade Smith, RP, Cleveland Guardians
Chance of trade: 20%
Smith has been arguably the best reliever in baseball since the beginning of the 2024 season, and with more than 13 strikeouts per nine innings, he could be the solution to many teams’ late-inning woes. With four more years of control, he would also be a prohibitively expensive trade target for most teams, making a deal difficult to come by.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
10. Griffin Jax, RP, Minnesota Twins
Chance of trade: 40%
Despite a 3.92 ERA that says otherwise, Jax has been one of the top relievers in baseball this season — the best by xFIP and toward the top in other, similar metrics. Only Fernando Cruz and Mason Miller have better strikeout rates than Jax’s 14.37 per nine, and his sweeper-heavy arsenal induces as much swing-and-miss as anyone.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
Chance of trade: 50%
Keller is not only in the midst of a career-best season with a 3.48 ERA, but he’s under contract for another three years at a very reasonable $55.7 million. The Pirates need bats, and moving Keller is the likeliest way to fill that void. Teams could be scared off slightly by the quality of contact against him — his average exit velocity and hard-hit rate have spiked while his strikeouts are down — but in an environment with little pitching, Keller is nevertheless desirable.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, Toronto, Houston
12. Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 60%
Gallen was excellent for the past three seasons but now, in a contract year, is posting career-worst numbers in almost every category. His stuff looks similar, but he’s allowing much more damage when hitters make contact. That said, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is back to normal in his past five starts, at 29-to-5, despite a 6.04 ERA in that span. Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said the team does not plan to deal away players at the deadline, but if Arizona doesn’t make a run, it could reap a huge return with all its impending free agents.
Best fits: Toronto, San Diego, Houston, Chicago Cubs
13. Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 70%
Kelly doesn’t have big raw stuff, having posted the second-lowest average fastball velocity (92.0) among pitchers with 115 innings pitched this season. His changeup is his best pitch by a wide margin, and he gets by with location and off-speed stuff. He was a stalwart in the Diamondbacks’ run to the 2023 World Series, striking out 28 in 24 innings with a 2.25 ERA.
Best fits: Toronto, Boston, Houston, Chicago Cubs
14. Josh Naylor, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 70%
Naylor is batting around .300 this season as a lefty-hitting first baseman in a contract year on pace for about 20 homers. Naylor faces left-handed pitchers more often than the next player on the list but hasn’t been particularly good at it. His on-base skills and lack of strikeouts make him an especially attractive acquisition candidate for postseason contenders.
Best fits: Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, Texas
15. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B, Baltimore Orioles
Chance of trade: 85%
O’Hearn is having an out-of-nowhere career year, with an OPS+ of 135 (and with the underlying metrics to support that) along with being on pace for a career high in homers. He doesn’t face lefty pitchers much, and his splits suggest that he shouldn’t.
Best fits: Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, Texas
Chance of trade: 70%
Ozuna is a stone-cold DH, playing two games in the field in 2023 as his last regular-season experience defensively. Ozuna is also in a contract year, but his power numbers are down a notch from his standout .302 average and 39-homer performance last season. His on-base percentage remains among the highest of potential trade candidates. If anyone is moving from Atlanta, he’s the likeliest candidate, with free agency beckoning.
Best fits: San Diego, Seattle, Texas, Detroit, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 25%
For teams seeking controllable starting pitching, the 24-year-old Bradley is a tremendous upside play. He’s got good fastball velocity (96 mph), a tremendous cutter and a splitter that, when it’s on, can be devastating. The Rays have room to move at least one starting pitcher, and teams have identified Bradley as the likeliest of those with team control — he doesn’t reach free agency until after the 2029 season — to go.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, New York Mets, Toronto, Houston, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 30%
All the potential the Marlins have seen in the 27-year-old right-hander is finally coming into focus this season. While his 97 mph fastball gets hitters’ attention, it’s Cabrera’s curveball and slider doing most of the work. And with a changeup that in years past has been his best pitch, Cabrera will be pricey because of the full arsenal and three more years of club control.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, New York Mets, Toronto, Houston, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 15%
The Mountain is back from Tommy John surgery and looking like his former self. Since May 31, he has been almost untouchable: 16 innings, 3 hits, 8 walks and 27 strikeouts with a 0.56 ERA. He has another two years before free agency, and with the Orioles planning to contend between now and then, landing him will take more than most teams are willing to give.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Detroit, Texas
20. David Bednar, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Chance of trade: 60%
In a market replete with relief options, the 30-year-old Bednar brings high-end performance without quite the price tag of his peers. His swing-and-miss stuff has been elite since his return from Triple-A, and he has more than salvaged his trade value: Over his past 18 outings, Bednar has struck out 23, walked four and posted a 0.00 ERA.
Best fits: Detroit, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs
Chance of trade: 70%
Mullins is a 30-year-old center fielder in a contract year who contributes in a number of ways, but his power numbers are trending up this season and are at their best since 2021.
Best fits: Philadelphia, Houston, New York Mets
Chance of trade: 40%
McMahon is on pace to keep his four-year 20-homer streak alive, with above-average power, patience and third-base defense, but more of a middling contact rate and baserunning value. He’ll have two years and $32 million remaining on his contract after this season.
Best fits: New York Yankees, Detroit, Milwaukee, Seattle
Chance of trade: 35%
Fairbanks raised his slot a bit this year and now his 97.1 mph fastball has more cutting action while his slurvy slider has more depth, with both pitches playing a notch better than they did last season. He has a club option for 2026 that, with escalators, should wind up around the $10 million range. Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes and bullpen injuries have cut into the likelihood Fairbanks moves.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Arizona, Texas
Chance of trade: 50%
Robert has been extremely unlucky with ball-in-play results this season, but that has begun to turn around recently. He remains a strong defender and baserunner, with a career-high 24 steals already. But the .201/.289/.342 line is unsightly, and his trade value has cratered over the past two seasons. He has a pair of $20 million-a-year club options that an acquiring team would be hesitant to exercise absent a turnaround. Finding a match with a team willing to give up more for Robert’s upside than his productivity could be challenging.
Best fits: San Diego, Philadelphia, New York Mets, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 45%
Ward comes with an additional year of team control after this season and his underlying numbers suggest he is still largely the same hitter as last year, when he posted a .246 average and 25 homers.
Best fits: San Diego, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 30%
Arenado is around a career best in strikeout rate and he’s still an above-average defender, but his power and patience are trending down to around the worst of his career. He’s a solid starter but no longer a star and the team taking him on a deal would have to pay him like one. Potentially complicating any deal: a full no-trade clause.
Best fits: New York Yankees, Detroit, Milwaukee, Seattle
27. Ryan Helsley, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
Chance of trade: 60%
Helsley had the fourth-best WAR among relievers last season and is in a contract year now but has been notably worse this season. His stuff and location are similar, but the main difference is that his fastball is getting hit hard — with one byproduct being his spiking home run rate.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, Detroit, New York Mets
Chance of trade: 50%
Garcia averaged 30 homers in 2021-24, but he has fallen off since his 2023 career year. It’s worth noting that per xwOBA, he has been the 20th-most unlucky hitter in the big leagues this season, and he has another year of team control, so some teams could see an opportunity.
Best fits: Philadelphia, Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco
29. Reid Detmers, RP, Los Angeles Angels
Chance of trade: 15%
The No. 10 pick in 2020 transitioned to relief this season and has found some success like other highly drafted college lefties including A.J. Puk, Andrew Miller and Drew Pomeranz. He comes with three more years of control after this season and his velo is up 1.5 mph in the new role, so this might be where he fits long-term, and he could fetch a hefty return. Some teams still see Detmers as a starter.
Best fits: New York Mets, Arizona, Baltimore, St. Louis, Minnesota, New York Yankees
Chance of trade: 25%
Severino tunnels his fastball/sinker/sweeper combo well to limit damage but because he has a middling strikeout rate, his upside is limited to being a No. 4 or 5 starter. Another mitigating factor: a contract for $47 million over the next two seasons.
Best fits: Toronto, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore, New York Mets
Nos. 31-50
31. Zack Littell, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
32. Adrian Houser, SP, Chicago White Sox
33. Tyler Anderson, SP, Los Angeles Angels
34. Jesus Sanchez, RF, Miami Marlins
35. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
36. Dennis Santana, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
37. Kyle Finnegan, RP, Washington Nationals
38. Chris Martin, RP, Texas Rangers
39. Willi Castro, UT, Minnesota Twins
40. Nick Martinez, SP/RP, Cincinnati Reds
41. Zach Eflin, SP, Baltimore Orioles
42. Michael Soroka, SP, Washington Nationals
43. Phil Maton, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
44. Harrison Bader, CF, Minnesota Twins
45. Emilio Pagan, RP, Cincinnati Reds
46. Andrew Heaney, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
47. Yoan Moncada, 3B, Los Angeles Angels
48. Jake Bird, RP, Colorado Rockies
49. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
50. Charlie Morton, SP, Baltimore Orioles
You may like
Sports
‘We’re a very dangerous team now’: What all this winning means for the Red Sox’s trade deadline plans
Published
17 hours agoon
July 22, 2025By
admin
-
Jesse RogersJul 22, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
Close- Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
Just over a month ago, the Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster deal that sent shockwaves through the industry. At the time of the trade, the Red Sox were just a game over .500. They went 3-7 in their first 10 games without Devers and looked to be fading out of contention.
As the team fell in the standings, rumors began to circulate that the slugging designated hitter wouldn’t be the only star traded out of Boston. But a 10-game win streak before the All-Star break has vaulted the Red Sox into the thick of the playoff race and provided some clarity about their trade deadline plans.
“Throughout the whole year, we thought we had a really good team,” assistant GM Paul Toboni told ESPN over the weekend. “We were kind of waiting for it to click. That streak reconfirmed the thought that we had a good team.”
Boston doesn’t have a lot of expiring contracts, so even without the win streak, a complete teardown was unlikely. Still, trading some of its outfield depth was a possibility. The Red Sox rank in the top 10 in OPS in right field, center field and left field thanks to Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu.
With that group helping the Red Sox hold an American League wild-card spot, the front office is likely to add pitching, according to sources familiar with their situation, while retaining the abundance of outfielders unless the club is blown away with an offer in the next 10 days.
“Having a surplus of good players isn’t a bad thing,” Toboni said. “The high-end depth is a really good thing. It’s not like we’re anxious to move away from that.”
With their outfield situation likely to be addressed in the offseason, the Red Sox have winning on their minds. A young core, highlighted by the arrival of Anthony and infielder Marcelo Mayer, has had some time to adjust to the majors, leaving the team’s veterans excited about the coming months.
“These guys have been here for a few months now,” Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman said. “We’re starting to learn who we are as a group. The adjustments are being made quicker at this time of the year. It didn’t start out that way, but guys are wanting to learn and get better. You can see that in our growth this year.”
Bregman watched closely while he was out of the lineup because of a quad injury he sustained at the end of May. He has seen what winning baseball looks like during his time in Houston. It has taken the young Red Sox some time to get there.
“We’re a very dangerous team now, especially when we’re prepared and executing,” Bregman said. “We’ve played good for a while now.
“People will say this is a hot streak, but I believe this is who we are.”
As the calendar inches toward August, that’s the sentiment throughout the clubhouse, where the veterans who have been through the uncertainty of trade season are relieved to spend the next two weeks without trade chatter.
“The run we went on before the All-Star break, it was good. We needed something like that to get us back in the mix, restore some confidence,” starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said. “Right now, staying in the present is important, but I don’t think we have guys in this room too worried they’re going to get dealt or anything anymore.”
Two players who were brought in over the offseason might be the most relieved.
All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, who has a 1.18 ERA and 17 saves, could have been one of Boston’s most sought-after deadline trade candidates had the front office elected to deal him.
When asked about possibly being moved, the 37-year-old, who is playing for his seventh major league club, smiled as he responded through his interpreter: “The team is in good shape.”
Fellow Boston pitcher Walker Buehler added: “It’s probably good timing to hopefully push the front office to go out and buy and help us make a run. We did our part at the end of the first half there. I want to stay here and be part of it. Don’t want to be on the wrong side of a trade.”
Though they might have done enough to convince the front office to stick with the current veterans, the Red Sox have some of their toughest work ahead of them. According to ESPN Research, they have the hardest remaining schedule for the rest of the month and sixth hardest for the rest of the season, but manager Alex Cora isn’t interested in looking at the stretch run — or what Boston’s first postseason berth since 2021 would mean.
Instead, he believes that if the players can keep attacking each day, the rest will take care of itself.
“I promised myself I’m going to stay in the moment,” Cora said. “It doesn’t do the group any good to start talking about that. We have to win games. It’s not to put pressure on the front office or ownership. It’s what we need to do for us to play in October.”
Opposing teams are asking for “outrageous returns” for pitching, according to league sources, but if the asking prices become more reasonable closer to the deadline, expect the Red Sox to be involved. Until then, they are focused on riding their July momentum while navigating a tough schedule.
“Time to keep it locked in,” Giolito said. “We’ll be welcoming whatever help comes.”
Sports
Let the deals begin! MLB trade deadline updates: Latest rumors and analysis
Published
21 hours agoon
July 22, 2025By
admin
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, July 31.
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 2024 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: Contender plans | Trades for every team
Jump to …: Trending names | Latest intel
MLB trade deadline trending names
1. Eugenio Suarez: The Arizona Diamondbacks star is No. 1 in our updated MLB trade deadline candidate rankings and could be the most impactful player to move this month. On pace to hit more than 50 home runs, the 2025 All-Star is on the wish list of every contender in need of third-base help.
2. Sandy Alcantara: The 2022 Cy Young winner is an intriguing option in a deadline with a dearth of impact starting pitching available. His ERA is over 7.00 for the Miami Marlins this season, but some contenders believe he could regain form in a new home.
3. Jhoan Duran: This deadline is suddenly teeming with high-end relievers who will at the very least be in the rumor mill during the coming days. If the Minnesota Twins opt to move their closer — and his devastating splinker — Duran might be the best of the bunch.
MLB trade deadline buzz
July 22 updates
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. — Buster 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 amd 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 this 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/designate hitter Ryan O’Hearn and some relievers. — Olney
Sports
‘We’re a very dangerous team now’: What all this winning means for the Red Sox’s trade deadline plans
Published
21 hours agoon
July 22, 2025By
admin
-
Jesse RogersJul 22, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
Close- Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
Just over a month ago, the Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster deal that sent shockwaves through the industry. At the time of the trade, the Red Sox were just a game over .500. They went 3-7 in their first 10 games without Devers and looked to be fading out of contention.
As the team fell in the standings, rumors began to circulate that the slugging designated hitter wouldn’t be the only star traded out of Boston. But a 10-game win streak before the All-Star break has vaulted the Red Sox into the thick of the playoff race and provided some clarity about their trade deadline plans.
“Throughout the whole year, we thought we had a really good team,” assistant GM Paul Toboni told ESPN over the weekend. “We were kind of waiting for it to click. That streak reconfirmed the thought that we had a good team.”
Boston doesn’t have a lot of expiring contracts, so even without the win streak, a complete teardown was unlikely. Still, trading some of its outfield depth was a possibility. The Red Sox rank in the top 10 in OPS in right field, center field and left field thanks to Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu.
With that group helping the Red Sox hold an American League wild-card spot, the front office is likely to add pitching, according to sources familiar with their situation, while retaining the abundance of outfielders unless the club is blown away with an offer in the next 10 days.
“Having a surplus of good players isn’t a bad thing,” Toboni said. “The high-end depth is a really good thing. It’s not like we’re anxious to move away from that.”
With their outfield situation likely to be addressed in the offseason, the Red Sox have winning on their minds. A young core, highlighted by the arrival of Anthony and infielder Marcelo Mayer, has had some time to adjust to the majors, leaving the team’s veterans excited about the coming months.
“These guys have been here for a few months now,” Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman said. “We’re starting to learn who we are as a group. The adjustments are being made quicker at this time of the year. It didn’t start out that way, but guys are wanting to learn and get better. You can see that in our growth this year.”
Bregman watched closely while he was out of the lineup because of a quad injury he sustained at the end of May. He has seen what winning baseball looks like during his time in Houston. It has taken the young Red Sox some time to get there.
“We’re a very dangerous team now, especially when we’re prepared and executing,” Bregman said. “We’ve played good for a while now.
“People will say this is a hot streak, but I believe this is who we are.”
As the calendar inches toward August, that’s the sentiment throughout the clubhouse, where the veterans who have been through the uncertainty of trade season are relieved to spend the next two weeks without trade chatter.
“The run we went on before the All-Star break, it was good. We needed something like that to get us back in the mix, restore some confidence,” starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said. “Right now, staying in the present is important, but I don’t think we have guys in this room too worried they’re going to get dealt or anything anymore.”
Two players who were brought in over the offseason might be the most relieved.
All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, who has a 1.18 ERA and 17 saves, could have been one of Boston’s most sought-after deadline trade candidates had the front office elected to deal him.
When asked about possibly being moved, the 37-year-old, who is playing for his seventh major league club, smiled as he responded through his interpreter: “The team is in good shape.”
Fellow Boston pitcher Walker Buehler added: “It’s probably good timing to hopefully push the front office to go out and buy and help us make a run. We did our part at the end of the first half there. I want to stay here and be part of it. Don’t want to be on the wrong side of a trade.”
Though they might have done enough to convince the front office to stick with the current veterans, the Red Sox have some of their toughest work ahead of them. According to ESPN Research, they have the hardest remaining schedule for the rest of the month and sixth hardest for the rest of the season, but manager Alex Cora isn’t interested in looking at the stretch run — or what Boston’s first postseason berth since 2021 would mean.
Instead, he believes that if the players can keep attacking each day, the rest will take care of itself.
“I promised myself I’m going to stay in the moment,” Cora said. “It doesn’t do the group any good to start talking about that. We have to win games. It’s not to put pressure on the front office or ownership. It’s what we need to do for us to play in October.”
Opposing teams are asking for “outrageous returns” for pitching, according to league sources, but if the asking prices become more reasonable closer to the deadline, expect the Red Sox to be involved. Until then, they are focused on riding their July momentum while navigating a tough schedule.
“Time to keep it locked in,” Giolito said. “We’ll be welcoming whatever help comes.”
Trending
-
Sports3 years ago
‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year ago
Story injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years ago
Game 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years ago
MLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years ago
Button battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years ago
Japan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years ago
Game-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike