1 Trade Every MLB Team Wishes It Could Make Right Now
Major League Baseball's trading season has been over for a while now. There used to be two trade deadlines in days of yore, but the one and only for this year passed on Aug. 1.
Still, why not have a little fun? Why not imagine what trades could be happening right now, with less than a month left in the regular season, if teams were still allowed to deal?
If you can buy into this concept, keep reading for a rundown of one trade each team would probably like to make right now. In a general way, these cover pieces contenders are missing. They also cover non-contenders cashing in players who are more expendable and/or more valuable than they were a month ago.
Let's proceed division by division, starting in the American League East and ending in the National League West.
American League East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: A Trade for a Closer
All has mostly been well as the Orioles have gone 23-10 since the trade deadline, but their sense of wellbeing nonetheless took a big hit when All-Star closer Félix Bautista landed on the injured list with "some degree of injury" to his ulnar collateral ligament.
The Orioles did well to subsequently reunite with Jorge López via waivers, but chances are he won't fully fill Bautista's shoes. In a perfect world, they'd go get a Josh Hader or a David Bednar to do that.
Boston Red Sox: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
The Red Sox are still hanging around in the AL wild-card race despite not doing much of anything at the deadline. This is very much a starting rotation that has a 5.03 ERA since then.
To be fair, Brayan Bello's stock is still rising and Chris Sale has been solid enough since coming off the IL. But they're the only Sox starters with ERAs under .500 since Aug. 1, so at least one capable starter would be in order if the market was still open.
New York Yankees: A Trade of DJ LeMahieu
The Yankees have played more competent baseball since they turned things over to a new generation of Baby Bombers, but let's not mistake this for a return to contention. The club's eye is clearly on the future.
It's thus too bad they can't offload LeMahieu and the remainder of his $90 million contract right now. Whereas he had no value to speak of at the deadline, he's since come alive with a .903 OPS and seven home runs over 27 games.
Tampa Bay Rays: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
The Rays went through a rough patch for a while there, but they've recovered with 22 wins in their last 33 games. Their offense has scored 5.8 runs per game in this span, and their pitching has been low-key excellent in leading MLB in fWAR since the deadline.
Yet said pitching staff still looks thin sans Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs. At the least, a No. 4 starter to go behind Tyler Glasnow, Aaron Civale and Zach Eflin would be an ideal get right now.
Toronto Blue Jays: A Trade for a Catcher
Despite a strong start to September, the Blue Jays are a modest 18-17 in their last 35 games and reeling from three big blows to their everyday lineup. Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman and Danny Jansen have all hit the IL in recent days.
Bichette and Chapman will probably be back before the end of the regular season, but Jansen's fractured middle finger figures to need more healing time. Alas, the Jays can only wish they could find someone to pair with Alejandro Kirk for their catching tandem.
American League Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: A Trade of Elvis Andrus
The White Sox jettisoned quite a few core members at the deadline, but it was no surprise that Andrus stuck around. He was hitting .208 at the time, or 37 points below what fellow middle infielder Tim Anderson was hitting.
Well, go figure that Andrus has hit .395 and even raised his home run total from two to five since Aug. 4. The White Sox could probably get something for him if the market was still open.
Cleveland Guardians: A Trade of Sam Hentges
The Guardians shipped off a bunch of talent at the deadline only to turn around and pick up Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López off waivers a few weeks later. Accordingly, they're a hard team to categorize.
But since they're more pretender than contender, it's possible to envision them shopping Hentges if they could. He's a bit of an anonymous face in their bullpen, yet he's been scorching with only one unearned run allowed in his last 18 appearances.
Detroit Tigers: A Trade of Eduardo Rodriguez
Granted, the Tigers tried to trade Rodriguez and they even had an agreement in place with the Dodgers. The lefty used his no-trade protection to nix that.
It's a bummer for the Tigers that they don't still have the option of trading him. As he's already received a qualifying offer, Detroit won't be eligible to recoup a draft pick if he opts out of his contract following the end of the season.
Kansas City Royals: A Trade of Salvador Perez
The Royals trading Perez doesn't feel as unthinkable as it used to. He indeed still has a special place in the franchise's lore, but the fact that they entertained trading him at the deadline suggests they realize it's time to move on.
As he's only posted a .649 OPS since the deadline, Perez's value hasn't exactly gone up of late. But that's kinda-sorta the point, as Perez's recent performance isn't the best omen for his capacity to earn the $42 million the Royals owe him over 2024 and 2025.
Minnesota Twins: A Trade for a Center Fielder
With Byron Buxton rendered unable to play center field by persistent injuries, Michael A. Taylor had been a godsend in his stead out there. In addition to elite defense, the Twins got 20 home runs from him.
All this is in the past tense, however, because a hamstring strain has forced Taylor to join Buxton on the IL. The precise date of his return is uncertain. Accordingly, so is the situation in center field for the Twins.
American League West
3 of 6
Houston Astros: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
By reuniting with Justin Verlander at the trade deadline, the Astros provided a more than fitting answer to the question of who would help Framber Valdez carry their rotation down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Yet question marks remain after those two. Of the four other primary starters Houston has used since the deadline, not one has an ERA under 5.00. They'd thus be in the market for a No. 3 if the market was still open.
Los Angeles Angels: A Trade of Shohei Ohtani
It's been one gut punch after another since the Angels took Ohtani off the trade market back on July 26. Their playoff hopes have collapsed amid a 12-27 performance, and he's staring down some kind of surgery after tearing his right UCL.
But could the Angels still get something for Ohtani right now? Uh, you think? Even if he's no longer able to pitch, he's still leading MLB with a 1.066 OPS and the AL with 44 home runs. There's no lineup that wouldn't be helped by his presence.
Oakland Athletics: A Trade of Paul Blackburn
The A's are already on the doorstep of 100 losses precisely because they don't have an excess of talent, so it's no surprise that they weren't a hotbed of activity at the deadline.
Things might have been a little more active, however, if Blackburn was as hot then as he is now. Injuries and ineffectiveness caused the 2022 All-Star to fade into the background earlier in the year, but he's revived his value with a 2.30 ERA over his last eight starts.
Seattle Mariners: A Trade for A Left Fielder
The Mariners have won 31 out of their last 44, so this is a "What do you get for someone who has everything?" situation. A left fielder, though, at least looks like a nice-to-have.
To be sure, Jarred Kelenic is on the comeback trail and Cade Marlowe and Dominic Canzone haven't been terrible in his stead. But then again, Kelenic had been slumping before breaking his foot on July 19 and neither Marlowe nor Canzone has been hot more lately.
Texas Rangers: A Trade for a Late-Inning Reliever
You know a bullpen is bad when you can simply Google "Rangers bullpen" and be met with an avalanche of articles all about how the bullpen in question is, indeed, bad.
Such is the case with Texas' bullpen, and it's not getting any better. It has a 5.47 ERA since the deadline, in part because newcomer Aroldis Chapman has hit the skids of late. Alas, if only it was still possible for the Rangers pursue Hader or Bednar.
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National League East
4 of 6
Atlanta: A Trade for a Left-Handed Reliever
Atlanta is the only team with 90 wins and 61 percent of those have come just since June 2, so this is another "What do you get for someone who has everything?" situation.
A No. 5 starter, perhaps, but one of those probably wouldn't be as useful in October as another left-handed reliever to complement A.J. Minter. Brad Hand was meant to be that guy, but he's failed to impress with a 4.91 ERA since coming to Atlanta at the deadline.
Miami Marlins: A Trade for a Catcher
Even though the Marlins have scored on their additions of Josh Bell and Jake Burger, their offense hasn't exactly been hot since the deadline. On the contrary, it's been three percent worse than average.
As Nick Fortes and Jacob Stallings have combined for a .568 OPS, catcher would be the best place to put a new hitter if the Marlins had the option of trading for one. Which is to say it's a shame they couldn't seal the deal for Perez.
New York Mets: A Trade of José Quintana
If you're thinking this spot should have been reserved for Pete Alonso, well, two things. For one, it sounds like his teammates would like him to stick around. For two, the fact that Alonso is controlled through 2024 means the club's window to trade him won't be closing soon.
It would make more sense for the Mets to cash in Quintana. He had only just come off the IL when the trade deadline rolled around, but now he's sitting on a 3.00 ERA over nine starts. Plenty of teams have a more immediate need for him than the Mets do.
Philadelphia Phillies: A Trade for a Right-Handed Hitter
It hasn't all been smooth sailing, but the Phillies have more than merely stayed afloat amid a 52-30 stretch dating back to June 3. They look like a legit World Series contender again.
About the only thing that would be nice for them to have is a versatile right-handed hitter. Their everyday lineup does skew left-handed, and there's nothing special about having Cristian Pache, Johan Rojas and Weston Wilson on the pine.
Washington Nationals: A Trade of Kyle Finnegan
After experiencing a cool spell leading up to the deadline, Lane Thomas has since gotten hot again with a .924 OPS over his last 28 games. But since he's controlled through 2025 and they're over .500 for the second half, there's a case for the Nationals to keep him.
It's less of a good idea, however, to commit to building around relief pitchers. Finnegan was thus a candidate to get moved at the deadline, and he'd be even more of one now after posting a 2.31 ERA over his last 23 appearances.
National League Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
After spending the early portion of their season playing underneath their true capabilities, the Cubs have won 33 out of 47 to put themselves in position to make the playoffs. All is well...so long as one doesn't focus too hard on their rotation.
Justin Steele is a Cy Young Award candidate and Javier Assad has been hot lately, but Kyle Hendricks has been hit or miss and Marcus Stroman is still out with a rib injury. This rotation is crying out for a No. 3 starter, if not a No. 2 starter.
Cincinnati Reds: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
At no point this season has starting pitching been one of the Reds' strengths, but things are especially dire right now. Not everyone is badly hurt, but the team has seven starters on the IL right now.
Cincinnati would thus be an ideal location for rotation reinforcements. Another run at Eduardo Rodriguez would be in order, though the pie in the sky would be somebody more like Blake Snell.
Milwaukee Brewers: A Trade for a Power Hitter
The Brewers tried to liven up their offense at the trade deadline, bringing aboard Carlos Santana and Mark Canha. They've mostly done their jobs, but Milwaukee's offense has remained stuck in neutral in neutral since Aug. 1.
Of note, it ranks fourth from the bottom of MLB with 31 home runs since then. That generally reflects the club's shortage of power, which they can now only hope will be solved by Christian Yelich and Willy Adames getting hot again.
Pittsburgh Pirates: A Trade of David Bednar
Whether it's in the winter or in the summer, it's always just a matter of time before Bednar's name pops up in trade rumors when the market is open. So it was this summer, though it was likewise not out of the ordinary that the two-time All-Star closer stayed put.
All the same, one wonders if the Pirates would trade him now if they could. And not just because he's as hot as ever and plenty of contenders could use him. With the way he's been pitching, Colin Holderman looks like a guy who could step right into Bednar's shoes.
St. Louis Cardinals: A Trade of Tyler O'Neill
The Cardinals sent a few players out at the trade deadline, but the timing wasn't right for a trade of O'Neill. He had only recently returned from a long stay on the IL on July 20.
Since that day, however, he's looked like the best version of himself in posting an .855 OPS. The Cardinals will indeed have more chances to trade him before his club control runs out next year, but his track record offers no guarantees that his value will spike again.
National League West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
Though the Diamondbacks have recovered from a 7-25 tailspin that happened between July 2 and Aug. 11, their playoff hopes are still up in the air. It doesn't help that their rotation doesn't have a proper No. 3 in support of Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.
That's with all respect to Brandon Pfaadt, who's pitched to a non-terrible 4.41 ERA since July 22. But if the Snakes had the opportunity to get someone more reliable, they'd be wise to take it.
Colorado Rockies: A Trade of Ty Blach
It's not as if the Rockies were any good before the deadline, but they've been significantly worse in going 9-24 afterward. Finding players with any kind of value on a team like that is like finding breathable air on Mt. Everest.
There is Blach, though. The journeyman lefty has a 3.54 ERA in eight outings since he moved into the Rockies' rotation on July 23. A guy like would at least appeal to especially desperate teams like, say, the Reds.
Los Angeles Dodgers: A Trade for Another Starter
Just when the Dodgers finally seemed to have gotten their rotation figured out, Tony Gonsolin had to have Tommy John surgery and now Julio Urías is on administrative leave after his arrest on felony domestic violence charges.
What's left is a banged up Clayton Kershaw, a homer-prone Lance Lynn, rookie Bobby Miller and really no good options to follow them. Assuming their plan is to play deep into the postseason, they'd surely be on the hunt for a starter right now if the market was open.
San Diego Padres: Trades of Blake Snell and Josh Hader
It's to the Padres' credit that they didn't throw in the towel at the deadline, but things haven't gone much better for them than they have for the Angels up in Anaheim. They've lost 19 out of their last 30 games.
If they could, the Padres would undoubtedly be shopping Snell and Hader. Both are pending free agents, and valuable ones at that. Hader is a five-time All-Star closer with a 1.13 ERA, while Snell is baseball's hottest pitcher by way of a 1.31 ERA since May 25.
San Francisco Giants: A Trade for an Impact Hitter
The Giants were marching right along for a while there, but their playoff pursuit has since hit a wall as they've lost 21 out of 30. Though there's also something to be said about how much their pitching has thinned out, it mostly comes down to the offense.
The Giants have scored just 3.5 runs per game in this span, and things only got worse when Michael Conforto went on the IL with a hamstring strain on Aug. 23. Never mind just a trade. It would probably take a miracle to save this offense.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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