Jack Flaherty, Yusei Kikuchi and 25 Best Rental Targets at 2024 MLB Trade Deadline
The most obvious MLB trade candidates each year are players who are headed for free agency and performing well for teams that have slipped out of contention.
Often referred to as "rentals" since they will only spend a few months with their new team before hitting the open market, these players can provide a major boost to contenders while also raising their own profile ahead of free agency.
Ahead, we've ranked the top 25 rental players on the 2024 MLB trade market, with rankings based on their current performance, expected impact, remaining club control and likelihood of being traded.
Let's start with some honorable mentions to provide a more all-encompassing look at who is expected to be on the move.
In case you missed it: Garrett Crochet, Bo Bichette, Top 25 Non-Rental Targets at 2024 MLB Trade Deadline
Honorable Mentions
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Pitchers
LHP Scott Alexander, OAK
LHP Jalen Beeks, COL
RHP John Brebbia, CWS (mutual option)
LHP Andrew Chafin, DET (club option)
RHP Buck Farmer, CIN
RHP Chris Flexen, CWS
RHP Luis García, LAA
LHP T.J. McFarland, OAK
RHP Shelby Miller, DET (club option)
LHP Matt Moore, LAA
RHP Héctor Neris, CHC (club option)
RHP Lucas Sims, CIN
LHP Justin Wilson, CIN
Hitters
OF Michael Conforto, SF
IF Brandon Drury, LAA
OF Robbie Grossman, TEX
OF/DH Eloy Jiménez, CWS (club option)
C Carson Kelly, DET
OF Kevin Kiermaier, TOR
DH Justin Turner, TOR
IF Gio Urshela, DET
Injured, Unlikely to Be Traded
RHP Trevor Williams, WAS
Nos. 25-21
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25. RHP Trevor Richards, Toronto Blue Jays
A starter for the Miami Marlins early in his career, Richards has developed into a reliable bullpen option since joining the Blue Jays in the 2021 deal that sent Rowdy Tellez to Milwaukee. The 31-year-old has a 4.14 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and seven holds in 43 appearances this season.
24. 1B Josh Bell, Miami Marlins
Bell is hitting just .225/.291/.357 for a 79 OPS+ this season, but he is still providing solid power production with 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 42 RBI in 98 games. He posted a 116 OPS+ with 11 home runs in 53 games after joining the Marlins at the deadline last year, so perhaps another change of scenery will help him right the ship.
23. SS Paul DeJong, Chicago White Sox
With poor defensive metrics (-8 DRS, -10.1 UZR/150) and an ugly 108-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 340 plate appearances, DeJong has provided limited value for the White Sox this season. However, he does have 17 home runs, and the market for middle infield talent is extremely thin, so there should be some interest.
22. LHP Drew Smyly, Chicago Cubs
With 1,124.2 innings and a 101 ERA+ over 11 seasons, Smyly has been a serviceable left-hander for years, and he has made a smooth transition into a bullpen role for the Cubs this season. The 35-year-old has a 2.79 ERA in 38.2 innings, and he has recorded more than three outs in 17 of his 27 appearances.
21. RHP José Ureña, Texas Rangers
The Rangers signed Ureña to a minor league deal during the offseason, and after a brief run in the starting rotation in May, he has settled into a multi-inning role in the bullpen. His team-friendly $1.5 million salary makes him an easy fit from a payroll standpoint, and with a 3.13 ERA in 72 innings he has been a productive arm chewing through innings.
Nos. 20-16
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20. RHP José Leclerc, Texas Rangers
With a 3.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 11.8 K/9 in 324 appearances over eight big league seasons, Leclerc has been a quality late-inning option, and with 41 career saves he has some experience pitching in the ninth inning. The 30-year-old is in the final season of a six-year, $26.25 million extension, and he has a 3.89 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 11.9 K/9 with five holds in 38 games.
19. C Danny Jansen, Toronto Blue Jays
Jansen posted a 120 OPS+ while averaging 14 home runs, 42 RBI and 1.9 WAR during the three-year stretch heading into the 2024 season. The 29-year-old has not matched that level of production this season, but in a thin market for catching his 93 OPS+ and six home runs in 59 games still make him an attractive target.
18. 1B/OF Mark Canha, Detroit Tigers
Canha was a productive deadline pickup for the Milwaukee Brewers last year, hitting .287/.373/.427 with 15 extra-base hits and 33 RBI in 50 games after coming over from the New York Mets. The 35-year-old has a solid .342 on-base percentage in 354 plate appearances this season, and he could be a nice buy-low pickup once again this summer.
17. RHP Yimi García, Toronto Blue Jays
With a 2.48 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 12.4 K/9 and a terrific 40-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 29 innings this season, García has been a lights-out setup option for the Blue Jays. The 33-year-old has closed games in the past, including a 15-save season in 2021 and five saves earlier this year filling in for an injured Jordan Romano, but he fits best in a setup role on a contender.
16. RHP Dylan Floro, Washington Nationals
The Nationals signed Floro to a one-year, $2.25 million deal while bargain hunting this past offseason, and they should be able to flip him ahead of the deadline. He has a 2.02 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 48 games, and he has limited opposing hitters to a .220/.272/.249 batting line with zero home runs allowed.
Nos. 15-11
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15. OF Tommy Pham, Chicago White Sox
Pham looked like an obvious summer trade candidate the moment he signed his one-year, $3.5 million deal with the rebuilding White Sox in April. The 36-year-old was a useful deadline pickup for the World Series-bound Arizona Diamondbacks last year, and he is hitting .269/.338/.386 for a 106 OPS+ in 275 plate appearances this season.
14. OF Kevin Pillar, Los Angeles Angels
Pillar played his way onto the White Sox Opening Day roster on a minor league deal, but he was cut loose at the end of April. The Angels signed him the day after he became a free agent and he has enjoyed a nice career renaissance, posting a 129 OPS+ and 15 extra-base hits in 48 games. The 35-year-old is hitting .371/.413/.629 in 75 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, and he could be an impactful platoon option.
13. RHP Frankie Montas, Cincinnati Reds
The Reds signed Montas to a one-year, $16 million deal during the offseason as one of the more attractive reclamation projects on the market. He has a 4.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 89 innings over 18 starts, and he is at least capable of eating up some innings at the back of a contender's rotation. His contract contains a $20 million mutual option for 2025.
12. RHP David Robertson, Texas Rangers
Few active relievers boast the level of postseason experience Robertson brings to the table with nine different trips to the playoffs over his 16-year career. The 39-year-old is still going strong with a 3.16 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 13.5 K/9 in 40 appearances pitching on a one-year, $10 million deal that includes a $7 million mutual option and $1.5 million buyout for 2025.
11. IF/OF Amed Rosario, Tampa Bay Rays
Rosario was a 4.2-WAR player in 2022, but a disappointing contract year left him with limited options in free agency. He settled for a one-year, $1.5 million deal from the Rays in February. The 28-year-old is hitting .309/.332/.415 for a 114 OPS+ in 256 plate appearances this year, and he has started games at second base, third base, shortstop and in right field for the first time in his career.
Nos. 10-6
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10. RHP Michael Lorenzen, Texas Rangers
An All-Star in 2023 with the Detroit Tigers, Lorenzen signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Rangers on March 22 after a disappointing second half of the season and lackluster showing following a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 32-year-old has rebounded with a 3.53 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 97 innings, and while his 5.10 FIP is a red flag, he still represents a productive, low-cost rotation addition.
9. RHP Nick Martinez, Cincinnati Reds
Martinez has been a valuable swingman since returning from a four-year stint in the Japanese League in 2022, and he has a 3.88 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 72 innings spanning five starts and 23 relief appearances this year. The 33-year-old has a $12 million player option for next season, so he is not a clear-cut rental, but if he continues to pitch at his current level he will likely decline that in search of a multi-year deal.
8. C Elias Díaz, Colorado Rockies
Díaz was an All-Star in 2023 and ended up winning All-Star Game MVP honors, but his production dipped significantly after the break. The 33-year-old has bounced back this season, and he is a lock to be dealt in the final season of a three-year, $14.5 million contract. He is hitting .283/.333/.398 for a 100 OPS+ with 19 extra-base hits, and has also thrown out 30 percent of base-stealers while grading out as a plus pitch-framer.
7. OF Jesse Winker, Washington Nationals
The Nationals bought low on Jeimer Candelario prior to the 2023 season and ended up with one of the top rental bats on the market, and Winker has played his way into a similar position this season on a one-year, $2 million deal. The former All-Star is hitting .262/.380/.433 for a 135 OPS+ with 18 doubles, 11 home runs, 43 RBI and 14 steals, and even with his defensive shortcomings he has been a 2.3-WAR player.
6. LHP Tanner Scott, Miami Marlins
Scott tallied 12 saves while posting a 2.31 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 12.0 K/9 in 74 appearances during a breakout 2023 season, and now he is a lock to join a contender's bullpen in the next week. The 30-year-old has a 1.27 ERA and 16 saves in 18 chances, and while his 14.7 percent walk rate is less-than-ideal, teams will be lining up to acquire a swing-and-miss lefty with late-inning experience.
5. LHP Yusei Kikuchi, Toronto Blue Jays
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Stats: 21 GS, 4.54 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 28 BB, 125 K, 111.0 IP, 0.4 WAR
Yusei Kikuchi had a rocky first season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022 after signing a three-year, $36 million contract, but he rebounded last season with a 3.86 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 167.2 innings.
The surface-level numbers this year might not jump off the page, but a 3.58 FIP and 4.00 expected ERA bode well for his outlook going forward. His 26.4 percent strikeout rate is also the second-highest mark of his career and ranks in the 75th percentile among qualified pitchers.
The 33-year-old allowed five hits and four earned runs in five innings against the Detroit Tigers in his first start of the second half, and his next outing will likely be heavily attended by the MLB scouting community.
4. RHP Carlos Estévez, Los Angeles Angels
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Stats: 33 G, 19/22 SV, 2.45 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 5 BB, 32 K, 33.0 IP, 1.5 WAR
The Los Angeles Angels signed Carlos Estévez to a two-year, $13.5 million deal following six up-and-down seasons with the Colorado Rockies, hoping a move away from Coors Field would help unlock his full potential.
They slotted him in the closer's role and he responded with a career-high 31 saves and a spot on the AL All-Star team last year, and he has been even better this season anchoring a revamped Angels bullpen.
He has been good enough to be viewed as a legitimate option to close games for a contending team, or he could serve as a major weapon in the eighth-inning role ahead of an established incumbent.
Either way, the Angels will almost certainly flip him ahead of the deadline.
3. RHP Kirby Yates, Texas Rangers
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Stats: 36 G, 17/17 SV, 1.24 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 17 BB, 50 K, 36.1 IP, 1.8 WAR
Kirby Yates was one of the best closers in baseball during the 2019 season with the San Diego Padres. He had an NL-leading 41 saves with a 1.19 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 15.0 K/9 in 60 appearances and finished ninth in NL Cy Young voting.
An elbow injury limited him to six appearances the following season and he eventually underwent Tommy John surgery, costing him all of 2021 and most of 2022 before he finally returned to the mound with the Atlanta Braves.
The 37-year-old had a 3.28 ERA with five saves and nine holds in 61 games last season, and he parlayed that into a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the defending champs who were in serious need of bullpen help.
He quickly pitched his way into the closer's role and ended up making the AL All-Star team, and if the Rangers do decide to sell, he will be the top reliever on the market.
2. LHP Andrew Heaney, Texas Rangers
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Stats: 20 G, 19 GS, 3.60 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 29 BB, 101 K, 100.0 IP, 1.3 WAR
After serving in something of a swingman role last year, Andrew Heaney has been a rock in the Texas Rangers rotation this season, tossing a team-high 100 innings and pitching to a 3.60 ERA and career-best 110 ERA+ in 19 starts.
The 33-year-old is in the second season of a two-year, $25 million deal that has proven to be a nice bargain signing for the Rangers, and if they opt to sell they should be able to flip him for a solid return.
Twice in the past month he has thrown the ball extremely well against the Baltimore Orioles stacked lineup, picking up the win on June 30 (7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 10 K) and July 21 (5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 K), and that alone could spike his value to prospective contenders.
He was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the World Series last year, allowing four hits and one earned run in five strong innings.
1. RHP Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers
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Stats: 17 GS, 3.13 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 17 BB, 127 K, 100.2 IP, 2.5 WAR
Jack Flaherty emerged as one of the most promising young pitchers in baseball during his age-23 season in 2019 when he went 11-8 with a 2.75 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 231 strikeouts in 196.1 innings to finish fourth in NL Cy Young voting.
However, injuries limited him to a combined 154.2 innings over the next three years, and he was inconsistent at best last season with a 4.99 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in 144.1 innings with the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles.
The Detroit Tigers took a chance with a one-year, $14 million deal this past offseason, and he has been one of the best signings of the offseason.
The 28-year-old ranks sixth in the AL with 127 strikeouts, and his 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings are a career high as he has returned to front-line form and positioned himself for a significant payday this coming offseason.
First, he will likely join a contender for the stretch run, and he could slot in as the No. 2 starter on a playoff-bound team.
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