
Best of the rest: Who’s left in NHL free agency?
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Greg WyshynskiJul 22, 2025, 08:23 AM ET
Close- Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
The NHL free agency frenzy has given way to the serene waters of Canadian lake cottages, where many team executives are clearing their minds as training camps creep closer.
The unrestricted free agent pool is essentially a shallow creek with very few impactful free agents. But PuckPedia calculates that all but seven NHL teams have at least $1 million to spend on their rosters, while 11 teams — ranging from the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks to the contending Carolina Hurricanes to whatever the Pittsburgh Penguins are — have north of $10 million of cap space.
That’s not accounting for the salary cap space that could be added via trades — like the one the Vancouver Canucks made recently, sending forward Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs and clearing $3.25 million off their cap.
Here’s a look at some of the unrestricted free agents and the impact they could have with a new team. All contract information is courtesy of PuckPedia.
The Forwards
Jack Roslovic, C
Age: 28 | 2024-25 cap hit: $2.8 million
Easily the most tantalizing player left in free agency. Roslovic played 81 games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season, generating 22 goals and 17 assists in 13:49 of average ice time. His goal total matched his career high he set with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020-21.
He’s an instant-offense player. His defense is another story: According to Evolving Hockey, he was the second-worst forward on the Hurricanes in even-strength goals allowed above average, behind Andrei Svechnikov. And Roslovic doesn’t score like Svechnikov.
But no one available in the UFA market scored more goals than Roslovic last season. He has been linked to the Maple Leafs in part because he was a U.S. National Development Team teammate with Auston Matthews; the Washington Capitals, who seek to bolster their forward group; and the Vancouver Canucks, who have had discussions with his camp.
Max Pacioretty, LW
Age: 36 | 2024-25 cap hit: $873,770
Pacioretty is in the journeyman phase of his stellar NHL career, which saw him score at least 30 goals in four straight seasons with the Montreal Canadiens from 2013-17. After injuries ruined his one-year stint with Carolina, he went to Washington (22 points in 47 games) and Toronto (13 points in 37 games) before once again hitting the free agent market this summer in search of a team that’ll give him the ice time he needs to produce goals.
Pacioretty made an impression with the Leafs in the postseason, when he had three goals and five assists in 11 games, shooting over 21%. That performance could be enough to entice a contender to give him another contract to play around 13 minutes a night and create offense. The Edmonton Journal banged the drum for him to be the new Corey Perry in the Oilers’ forward group recently.
Victor Olofsson, RW
Age: 30 | 2024-25 cap hit: $1.075 million
Olofsson scored 15 goals last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, and not all of them while playing with Jack Eichel. There was a thought that Olofsson could mesh with Eichel, who played with him in Buffalo. But they played only 189 minutes together at even strength, with Vegas generating nine goals with them on the ice. Olofsson played more minutes with Tomas Hertl than Eichel last season.
Those are two pretty good centers, and Olofsson hung with them and also played respectable defense, based on the metrics. He has got a big shot and can contribute on the power play. It’s a little surprising that he hasn’t found a new home yet, given his skill set.
Robby Fabbri, F
Age: 29 | 2024-25 cap hit: $4 million
Fabbri came to Anaheim in a trade with Detroit last summer after his best goal-scoring season (18 tallies) since he scored 18 goals with the St. Louis Blues in 2015-16. He was the kind of player the Ducks wanted: someone who could provide energy and offensive depth before they potentially traded him at the deadline, with salary retention, to a contending team.
But injuries relegated him to just 44 games last season, during which he tallied 16 points. He last played Feb. 25. When healthy, Fabbri can produce offensively. But wherever he goes, it won’t be anywhere close to his $4.25 million base salary last season. Evolving Hockey predicts he will earn around $1.3 million.
Joel Kiviranta, F
Age: 29 | 2024-25 cap hit: $775,000
Kiviranta is stuck in a unique hockey purgatory. He’s a fourth-line forward who turns 30 next March and averaged 12:31 in ice time last season. That’s a roster spot that could go to a younger player on many teams. But that younger player might match Kiviranta’s production. He generated 16 goals for the Avalanche last season in a depth role, with 15 coming at even strength. He has strong per-60 minutes metrics and creates high-danger chances.
The biggest knock on Kiviranta is his postseason play. He has one goal and two assists in his past 20 postseason games, dating to his time in Dallas. He didn’t register a point in his last 10 postseason games with Colorado. For an impactful regular-season player, that’s quite a playoff disappearing act — and his ice time in the postseason reflects that.
Luke Kunin, F
Age: 27 | 2024-25 cap hit: $2.75 million
Kunin was solid with the Sharks over the past two seasons. He had 11 goals in 75 games in 2023-24 and then 11 goals in 63 games last season before San Jose shipped him to Columbus at the trade deadline for a fourth-round pick. Kunin didn’t register a point in 12 games in Columbus, and his ice time dipped under 10 minutes four times before the Blue Jackets made him a healthy scratch for the last eight games of the season.
Kunin can help someone’s bottom six in the right fit, but there are concerns. Even as he was creating offense in San Jose, he was also among the worst forwards in expected goals above replacement (minus-7.7).
The Defensemen
Matt Grzelcyk, D
Age: 31 | 2024-25 cap hit: $2.75 million
There’s always a home for power-play creators in the NHL. Grzelcyk had one goal and 39 assists last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, with 15 of those power-play helpers. It was easily his best NHL season on special teams, getting an opportunity he didn’t always have in Boston.
His even-strength metrics weren’t stellar, with a 48.6 expected goals percentage and barely breakeven in shot attempts per 60 minutes — but some of his analytic struggles can be chalked up to playing with Erik Karlsson and in front of the Penguins’ goaltender. Grzelcyk has shown that he can be more than competent defensively for someone best known for his offense.
His agent Peter Fish told ESPN that they’re looking for “the best fit for Matt” in terms of money, term and opportunity. “He’s coming off his best year as a pro. I think he really distinguished himself on the power play in Pittsburgh,” Fish said.
Grzelcyk can move the puck, and his breakout passing remains an asset. The left-shot defenseman should find a home on someone’s blue line, especially after his season on the power play. Fish said waiting beyond the free agent frenzy can sometimes benefit a player.
“Sometimes, it’s not the worst thing to do. It’s a little bit uneasy at times, but when you sit down and you can see exactly what teams have now,” Fish said. “When you wait a little bit and can say, ‘Well, this is definitely going to be a good spot for me.'”
Jan Rutta, D
Age: 34 | 2024-25 cap hit: $2.75 million
Rutta played on two Stanley Cup-winning teams with the Tampa Bay Lightning before becoming a free agent in 2022 and signing with the Penguins. They sent him to San Jose in the offseason as part of the three-team deal that sent Karlsson to Pittsburgh. Rutta had a better second season in San Jose than his first, skating to a minus-3 in 54 games for the Sharks while playing with eight defensive partners. Rutta also dealt with some injuries last season.
Grier didn’t seem to close the door on Rutta running it back in San Jose. “He’s been pretty steady for us here for two years. He’s done a good job helping our young guys out and kind of being a little bit of a stabilizer, especially on the PK. As I told him, he’s on a list with some other guys where it’s a possibility we bring them back,” he said.
But weeks into free agency, Rutta’s still in the market.
Calvin de Haan, D
Age: 34 | 2024-25 cap hit: $800,000
Calvin de Haan played only three games for the Rangers after being acquired from Colorado last season. He wasn’t shy about expressing his frustration about that. “I’m old in hockey. My career could be over this summer for all I know. Not having that opportunity to compete and use that as a tryout for the rest of the NHL was very frustrating, obviously. I’m just trying to prolong my career, trying to keep playing. I love the game and so that part was annoying,” he said.
The 34-year-old defenseman knows that he’s “not a top-four or a $10 million guy” at this stage of his career. But he’s a depth defenseman whose defensive metrics have remained solid, skating just under 15 minutes per game last season with Colorado and New York.
The Wild Card
Evgeny Kuznetsov, C
Age: 33 | 2024-25 cap hit: $7.8 million
Kuznetsov’s cap hit would’ve been that $7.8 million last season had the Carolina Hurricanes not terminated his contract after the 2023-24 season. “Ultimately, both sides agreed this was the best course of action for both the player and the team,” Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said as the team got out of the $6 million in salary it owed him for this season. Kuznetsov signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL.
But Kuznetsov had that contract terminated in April, allowing the 33-year-old forward the chance to come back to the NHL after just one year in Russia. He didn’t have the easiest time in Russia, mainly because of some health issues connected to multiple concussions, according to Match TV’s Pavel Lysenkov.
Kuznetsov was once considered one of the most dynamic offensive talents in the NHL while with the Washington Capitals. But his play started to fall off in 2022-23, and he generated just two goals and seven assists in 20 games for Carolina after the 2024 trade deadline — although he had four goals in 10 playoff games for the Hurricanes.
He was the leading scorer and Conn Smythe runner-up on the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup-winning team. In September 2019, the NHL suspended Kuznetsov three games without pay for “inappropriate conduct,” less than a month after he was banned from playing for Russia for four years because he tested positive for cocaine. Kuznetsov entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in February 2024, ahead of his trade to Carolina.
Kuznetsov’s agent has said that they’re not looking to be picky on team and finances as he seeks an NHL return. Is there someone willing to take a chance on him this season?
The Buyouts
T.J. Brodie, D
Age: 35 | 2024-25 cap hit: $3.75 million
Brodie was added to the Blackhawks last summer as a two-year placeholder, allowing their young defensemen to mature in the AHL. Unfortunately, the fit was disastrous for the veteran defenseman and the team. Brodie played at below-replacement levels, skated to a minus-18 and Chicago was outscored by nearly 20 goals with him on the ice. Brodie averaged just 15:38 per game, the lowest ice time of his career. He was a healthy scratch over the last two dozen games of the season, and didn’t even travel with the team.
The Hawks bought out the final year of his two-year deal. Brodie still might get a look as a depth defenseman given his experience. Hopefully, it will be with a playoff contender, rather than another rebuild.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D
Age: 38 | 2024-25 cap hit: $7 million
Grier was still playing with the Sharks when Vlasic made his NHL debut. So, it’s poetic that Grier, as San Jose general manager, ended Vlasic’s time with the team.
“He will go down not only as one of the best defensemen in franchise history, but one of the best players,” Grier said when he announced that the team bought out the final year of his contract ($7 million AAV).
Vlasic used to get Norris Trophy consideration for his defensive play. He turns 39 next March, was limited to 27 games last season because of injury, and the Sharks paid him not to play. It was a stellar run for him in San Jose before a steady decline and a contract that made him unmovable until it was buyout time. Is there another chapter for Vlasic?
Vlasic’s agent Robert Sauve told ESPN that the defenseman hopes to play in the 2025-26 season and is hoping for clarity on potential next stops in August. As far as the possibility of a professional tryout contract (PTO) with a team, Sauve said Vlasic “isn’t there yet” in his process.
The Goalies
Ilya Samsonov, G
Age: 28 | 2024-25 cap hit: $1.8 million
Samsonov appeared in 29 games for the Vegas Golden Knights last season, after three straight seasons of playing in 40-plus games with the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was 16-9-4 with an .891 save percentage, playing essentially at a replacement level behind Adin Hill. Samsonov is an average backup after being an OK tandem goalie at his peak.
James Reimer, G
Age: 37 | 2024-25 cap hit: $1 million
Reimer is the NHL goaltending equivalent of a journeyman NFL placekicker. The leg is not what it used to be. The range isn’t there. But from a reliability standpoint, you could do a lot worse than handing a one-year contract to a player whose save percentage hovered around .900 in 22 games for the Buffalo Sabres last season. Reimer is hoping to join his sixth NHL team in six seasons.
Alexandar Georgiev, G
Age: 29 | 2024-25 cap hit: $3.4 million
It’s still mind-blowing that Georgiev is three seasons removed from winning 40 games and finishing seventh in the Vezina Trophy voting. He followed that with 38 wins for the Colorado Avalanche in 2023-24. After they won the Stanley Cup in 2022, the Avs anointed him as their next starter, trading three draft picks to the Rangers for him.
Last season, you needed GPS to locate him. Georgiev was traded to the San Jose Sharks in the deal that sent Mackenzie Blackwood to Colorado. Georgiev won seven of the 31 games he played for the Sharks. Between the two teams, he had an .875 save percentage and a 3.71 goals-against average. According to Money Puck, he was the second-worst goalie in the league in goals saved above expected (minus-17.9).
Again, he used to start over 60 games in a season. Perhaps a team will believe in the right system, Georgiev can rediscover his game.
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Sports
‘We’re a very dangerous team now’: What all this winning means for the Red Sox’s trade deadline plans
Published
2 hours agoon
July 22, 2025By
admin
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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
‘We’re a very dangerous team now’: What all this winning means for the Red Sox’s trade deadline plans
Published
6 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
6 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
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