2023 MLB Trade Deadline Big Board for Top Trade Candidates
Now that the 2023 MLB trade deadline has passed, the remnants of our big board serve as a rundown of the top players who were rumored to be on the move but ended up staying put.
Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez headlines that group after he vetoed a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, while controllable outfielders Dylan Carlson, Lane Thomas and Alex Verdugo also stayed put.
With no more August waiver trades, these players will all be staying put through the remainder of the season, unless they are designated for assignment and released.
Thanks for following along with our live trade candidate big board throughout Tuesday's action!
Notable Players Who Were Not Traded
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Notable Players Who Were Not Traded
- The Los Angeles Angels have decisively pivoted to buyers by trading for Lucas Giolito, C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk, so it's safe to say Shohei Ohtani is not going anywhere.
- The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres are both being treated as buyers unless it is reported otherwise due to their strong recent play and proximity to a wild-card spot. That means Cody Bellinger, Josh Hader, Blake Snell and Marcus Stroman do not appear in the following rankings, along with any other players from those two rosters.
- The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly listening to offers on the All-Star duo of Mitch Keller and David Bednar, but it's unlikely either player will be traded, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman. As such, they were not included in the rankings.
- Despite a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that the Chicago White Sox are listening to offers for everyone on the roster, it remains highly unlikely that Luis Robert Jr., Dylan Cease, Eloy Jimenez or Andrew Vaughn will be traded, and for now they are not part of our big board.
- Infielder Jonathan India has been a popular name on the rumor mill after Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported on July 24 that the Cincinnati Reds were open to trading him. However, he was placed on the injured list with plantar fasciitis over the weekend, significantly reducing the likelihood that he will be traded.
Nos. 20-16
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20. OF Jurickson Profar, Colorado Rockies
One of the last free agents to sign during the offseason, Profar inked a one-year, $7.75 million with the Rockies in late March. The former top prospect had a strong 2022 season with the San Diego Padres, posting a 110 OPS+ with 53 extra-base hits and 82 runs scored serving as the team's primary leadoff hitter. His numbers are down across the board this year, despite moving to a more hitter-friendly environment, but he has three multi-hit performances in his last nine games and could be a nice under-the-radar bench addition for a contender.
19. 1B/OF Seth Brown, Oakland Athletics
Brown had a 118 OPS+ with 26 doubles, 25 home runs and 73 RBI last season, and while he has taken a step backward this year while missing time with an oblique strain, he still has 10 home runs in 217 plate appearances. The 31-year-old is controllable through 2026, and he can play first base and both corner outfield spots for a contender looking to add some left-handed pop.
18. RHP Carlos Carrasco, New York Mets
Carrasco has allowed 18 hits and 11 earned runs in 4.2 innings over his last two starts, and he now has a 6.40 ERA in 70.1 innings this season. That said, he's not all that far removed from tossing eight shutout innings against a good Arizona Diamondbacks team on July 6, and the Mets will be motivated to move him for whatever they can get.
17. C Yasmani Grandal, Chicago White Sox
In the final season of a four-year, $73 million deal, Grandal is no longer the All-Star player he was when he first joined the South Siders. The 34-year-old has a 92 OPS+ with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBI in 303 plate appearances, and he's the best option for teams looking to add some depth behind the plate. The White Sox will likely need to eat the bulk of the roughly $6.2 million he is still owed this year to find a taker.
16. RHP Jose Cisnero, Detroit Tigers
Cisnero is a capable middle reliever in his final season of arbitration eligibility who can slot into almost any contender's bullpen as a solid low-leverage option. The 34-year-old has a 3.98 ERA and 10.0 K/9 with 11 holds in 44 appearances, and he is owed less than $1 million on a $2.29 million salary for the remainder of the season.
Nos. 15-11
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15. LHP Chasen Shreve, Detroit Tigers
Shreve got off to a rocky start this season with a 7.84 ERA in April, but since then he has a 3.54 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 10.0 K/9 with nine holds in 32 appearances. The 33-year-old has also been much better on the road (23 G, 3.48 ERA) than he has at Comerica Park (20 G, 6.11 ERA) this year, making the rental reliever a prime candidate to thrive with a change of scenery.
14. SS Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox
It has been a season to forget for Anderson. The two-time All-Star and 2019 AL batting title winner is hitting a punchless .245/.286/.293 for a 60 OPS+ that ranks dead last among 146 qualified hitters, and he has minus-1.3 WAR in 82 games. He has a $14 million club option for next season with a $1 million buyout, but his production this season means he will be valued as a rental. Will a modest return be enough for the White Sox to trade him?
13. LHP Brent Suter, Colorado Rockies
After seven seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, Suter was claimed off waivers by the Rockies during the offseason. The veteran left-hander has a 2.79 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 36 appearances, and he has reverse splits with a .198 average and .519 OPS against right-handed hitters. His one-year, $3 million deal makes him an obvious candidate to be flipped to a contender.
12. LHP Wandy Peralta, New York Yankees
The Yankees are reportedly willing to entertain offers for upcoming free agents, and while guys like Luis Severino and Isiah Kiner-Falefa carry little value, Peralta looks like an easy trade candidate. The 32-year-old has a 2.29 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 7.3 K/9 with four saves and 14 holds in 47 appearances.
11. RHP Mike Clevinger, Chicago White Sox
Clevinger missed six weeks with biceps inflammation, but he returned to action on Saturday with five scoreless innings of two-hit ball against the Cleveland Guardians. Will that be enough to make him a viable trade chip? His contract has a $12 million mutual option for next season that carries a hefty $4 million buyout, so there will be a financial commitment beyond what's left of his $8 million salary for this year.
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Nos. 10-5
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10. LHP Brooks Raley, New York Mets
After a forgettable start to his pro career, Raley spent five seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization before returning stateside in 2020. The 35-year-old had a career year with the Tampa Bay Rays last season, posting a 2.68 ERA in 60 appearances, and he was traded to the Mets during the offseason. The southpaw has continued to impress with a 2.37 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 19 holds in 46 games, and he could be more than a rental with a reasonable $6.5 million club option and $1.25 million buyout for 2024.
9. OF Adam Duvall, Boston Red Sox
With Masataka Yoshida, Jarren Duran and Alex Verdugo in the mix for playing time in the Boston outfield, the team could flip Duvall while still approaching the trade deadline as buyers. The 34-year-old has a 128 OPS+ and 24 extra-base hits in 173 plate appearances, and the rental slugger has provided a late-season boost as a trade chip in the past, going from Miami to Atlanta ahead of the Braves' run to a title in 2021.
8. OF Harrison Bader, New York Yankees
The Yankees acquired Bader at the deadline last year in exchange for Jordan Montgomery, and while he has missed time because of injury, he remains a standout defender in center field with some power and speed potential offensively. The 29-year-old has 16 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 213 plate appearances, and he has been a 1.1-WAR player in 57 games. He went 10-for-30 with five home runs during the postseason last year and could make a major impact in October once again this season.
7. RHP Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals
Armed with a fastball that averages 97.2 mph and a splitter that has generated a 35 percent whiff rate, Finnegan has logged a 3.07 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 8.6 K/9 in 42 appearances. The 31-year-old has converted just 14 of 21 save opportunities, so he fits best as a setup option on a contending team, but his power stuff and arbitration eligibility through 2025 carries significant value.
6. RHP Paul Blackburn, Oakland Athletics
Blackburn recorded strong starts at home against the Houston Astros (5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER) and on the road against the Colorado Rockies (6.0 IP, 9 H, 2 ER) his last two times out, and he now has a 4.83 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 54 innings. The 2022 All-Star has a $1.9 million salary this season and club control through 2025, so he's a low-cost option for teams looking to bolster the back of the rotation.
5. OF Teoscar Hernández, Seattle Mariners
In a market lacking in impact bats, Hernández is an intriguing buy-low candidate with a proven track record of middle-of-the-order production. The 30-year-old is hitting .238/.288/.408 with 17 doubles, 16 home runs and 58 RBI this season, and he has an MLB-leading 141 strikeouts. Over the past three seasons, he posted a 133 OPS+ while averaging 36 home runs and 114 RBI per 162 games.
4. OF Dylan Carlson, St. Louis Cardinals
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Age: 24
Stats: 232 PA, 86 OPS+, .230/.328/.345, 12 XBH (5 HR), 24 RBI, 0.7 WAR
Outfielder Dylan Carlson was the No. 9 prospect in baseball at the start of the 2021 season, and he posted a 115 OPS+ with 31 doubles, 18 home runs, 65 RBI and 3.1 WAR that year to finish third in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
He has failed to match that level of offensive production the past two years, but the switch-hitter still has significant upside and club control through the 2026 season, making him one of the market's more intriguing buy-low targets.
With Tyler O'Neill, Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker serving as the primary starting outfielders in St. Louis, he looks like a prime change-of-scenery candidate who could be a long-term pickup for contenders and non-contenders alike.
3. OF Lane Thomas, Washington Nationals
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Age: 27
Stats: 451 PA, 122 OPS+, .285/.333/.472, 44 XBH (16 HR), 55 RBI, 3.1 WAR
The Washington Nationals acquired outfielder Lane Thomas from the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for a two-month rental of veteran Jon Lester, and that under-the-radar deal is paying off in a big way.
After posting a 103 OPS+ with 26 doubles, 17 home runs, 52 RBI and 1.6 WAR in his first season as an everyday player last year, he has been one of the biggest breakout hitters of 2023.
With two more years of team control, there's a good chance Thomas is not going to be part of the next contending Nationals team, so selling high on him now in a market that is thin on hitters makes sense.
Will anyone be willing to meet Washington's high asking price?
2. OF Alex Verdugo, Boston Red Sox
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Age: 27
Stats: 412 PA, 105 OPS+, .272/.345/.424, 38 XBH (7 HR), 39 RBI, 2.7 WAR
The Boston Red Sox are expected to take an opportunistic approach to the trade deadline, perhaps pursuing deals as both buyer and seller based on how the market unfolds.
According to Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive.com, the team is open to trade offers for outfielder Alex Verdugo, and moving an outfielder in an effort to improve their pitching staff makes sense.
They currently have Verdugo, Masataka Yoshida, Adam Duvall and Jarren Duran all in the mix for playing time in the outfield, and while Duvall has long been viewed as a potential trade candidate as a free-agent-to-be, Verdugo would net a significantly bigger return.
Once the centerpiece of the Mookie Betts trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Verdugo has not quite blossomed into a star, but he is a productive player with club control through the 2024 season.
In a market that is thin on offensive upgrades, he could fetch an impactful return.
1. LHP Eduardo Rodríguez, Detroit Tigers
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Age: 30
Stats: 15 GS, 6-5, 2.95 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 21 BB, 91 K, 88.1 IP, 2.4 WAR
Following a disappointing first season with the Detroit Tigers after inking a five-year, $77 million deal, Eduardo Rodríguez was pitching like an AL Cy Young front-runner over the first two months of this season.
Through the end of May, he had a 2.13 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 67 strikeouts in 67.2 innings, and that impressive run included a pair of starts where he tossed eight shutout innings.
However, his stellar season was brought to a screeching halt when he suffered a ruptured finger pulley on his left hand. The injury ultimately sidelined him for 34 games, costing him the entire month of June before he returned to the mound on July 5.
In four starts since he was activated from the injured list, he has a 5.66 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 20.2 innings, and he has pitched beyond the fifth inning just once.
He has the upside of a No. 2 starter if he can shake off the rust and return to his early-season form, but he has become a riskier target than teammate Michael Lorenzen.
There is also the matter of an opt-out in his contract that puts him in a gray area between rental and long-term commitment with three years and $49 million left on his contract after this season.
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