Identifying Top MLB Trade Candidates and Targets For All 30 Teams
The 2025 MLB trade deadline is still two-and-a-half months away, but it's never too early to start looking ahead at how each team might approach the annual flurry of roster activity.
We've categorized each team as a projected buyer or seller based on their performance to date and their future outlook. We provided a breakdown of each buyer's biggest need to give a glimpse at what they might prioritize at the deadline and a closer look at each seller's best trade chip to give a snapshot of some of the biggest names that could be available.
There is still plenty of time for a team to change its fate as a buyer or seller, so nothing is set in stone. But this can serve as an early preview of where each club might be focusing its attention at the end of July.
AL East
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PROJECTED BUYERS—TOP TRADE TARGET
Boston Red Sox: First baseman
The Red Sox have yet to make an outside move to address the loss of Triston Casas to a season-ending knee injury. Instead, they've turned to Abraham Toro, Nick Sogard and the now-injured Romy González. They could use the opening on the infield as a way to get top prospect Marcelo Mayer into the lineup, but a trade for someone like Rhys Hoskins or Nathaniel Lowe also remains a real possibility.
New York Yankees: Starting pitcher
The Yankees rank 11th in the majors with a 3.73 ERA from the starting rotation, which is better than expected after Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil were both sidelined before Opening Day. However, Max Fried (9 GS, 1.11 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 56.2 IP) and Carlos Rodón (9 GS, 3.29 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 54.2 IP) have done a lot of the heavy lifting. Finding at least one more starter figures to be atop the deadline shopping list.
Toronto Blue Jays: Corner outfielder
With Anthony Santander and George Springer splitting their time between right field and designated hitter, the Blue Jays have a major offensive void at the other outfield corner that they'll need to address if they decide to buy. Rookie Alan Roden leads the way with 19 starts in left field, but he is hitting just .178/.262/.260 for a 50 OPS+ in 84 plate appearances.
PROJECTED SELLERS—TOP TRADE CANDIDATE
Baltimore Orioles: CF Cedric Mullins
A free agent at season's end, Mullins has a 124 OPS+ with seven home runs, 21 RBI and six steals in 37 games. He has recorded four straight seasons with at least 2.0 WAR and plays a solid defensive center field, which should make him a hot commodity on the open market. A long-term deal with the Orioles seems unlikely with Heston Kjerstad, Colton Cowser and Tyler O'Neill lined up as the potential future outfield, so flipping him in July makes sense if they don't recover from a disappointing start.
Tampa Bay Rays: RP Pete Fairbanks
Veterans Brandon Lowe ($10.5 million) and Yandy Díaz ($10 million) are both trade candidates for the Rays given their hefty salaries, but Fairbanks is the team's most attractive trade candidate. He has 56 saves in 65 chances since the start of the 2023 season, with a 3.01 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 in 113 appearances during that span. His $3.8 million salary this year will fit any team's budget, and he also has a reasonable $7 million club option for 2026.
AL Central
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PROJECTED BUYERS—TOP TRADE TARGET
Cleveland Guardians: Outfielder
Even with Lane Thomas on the mend from a wrist injury that has sidelined him since April 19, the Guardians could still use another bat in the outfield. Steven Kwan is a staple in left field, but Nolan Jones (108 PA, .152 BA, 59 OPS+) and Jhonkensy Noel (79 PA, .160 BA, 29 OPS+) have both struggled mightily at the plate, while Angel Martínez (-2 DRS, -0.3 dWAR) is an infielder miscast as a center fielder.
Detroit Tigers: Reliever
The Tigers rank third in the majors with a 2.91 ERA from their relief corps, so the bullpen is far from a weakness. But given the way manager A.J. Hinch deploys his pitching staff, they could always use another quality arm. The early struggles of Beau Brieske (12 G, 7.11 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) have opened the door for the team to pursue another late-inning arm.
Kansas City Royals: Run producer
Outside of Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino, the Royals are still lacking in reliable run production, though Maikel Garcia does deserve a tip of the cap for his hot start at the plate. A corner outfielder is the obvious target, as the club's right fielders have produced a .176/.241/.236 line with one home run and six RBI on the year.
Minnesota Twins: Utility player
With Willi Castro (94 PA, .221 BA, 71 OPS+) and Edouard Julien (104 PA, .198 BA, 70 OPS+) both scuffling at the plate, the Twins have limited versatility in their lineup right now. A productive utility player like Nationals veteran Amed Rosario could be the perfect addition. With the rotation and bullpen both rounding into form, shoring up the offense figures to be the focus if they stay in contention.
PROJECTED SELLERS—TOP TRADE CANDIDATE
Chicago White Sox: C Matt Thaiss
The No. 16 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Thaiss did not develop as hoped during his time in the Angels organization, ultimately hitting .208/.313/.342 in 771 plate appearances over six seasons. The 30-year-old has been one of the few bright spots for the White Sox after joining the South Siders during the offseason, posting a 112 OPS+ with more walks (19) than strikeouts (15) in 88 plate appearances. With club control through 2027 and a $1 million salary this year, he should generate plenty of interest.
AL West
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PROJECTED BUYERS—TOP TRADE TARGET
Houston Astros: Corner outfielder
Jose Altuve has played left field just once in his last five games, making two starts each at second base and designated hitter. That could be the start of the Astros pulling the plug on an experiment that has not gone well. With Brendan Rodgers and Mauricio Dubón both struggling at the plate, shifting Altuve back to the infield and targeting a corner outfielder might be the best way to bolster a lackluster offense at the deadline.
Seattle Mariners: Left-handed reliever
Closer Andrés Muñoz has been electric this season, but the rest of the Mariners relief corps has a 4.06 ERA on the year. Veteran Gabe Speier is currently the only left-hander in the bullpen, so targeting a southpaw makes sense if they end up looking for outside help. Keep an eye on Pirates lefty Ryan Borucki (18 G, 2.55 ERA, 64.3 GB%) as a potential under-the-radar target.
Texas Rangers: First baseman
With offseason pickup Jake Burger (115 PA, .198 BA, 64 OPS+) struggling to the point that he was briefly demoted to the minors, the Rangers have a glaring hole at first base. Utility man Josh Smith made a handful of starts at the position before Burger was recalled from the minors on Monday, but an outside addition could be the answer if Burger doesn't get things going.
PROJECTED SELLERS—TOP TRADE CANDIDATE
Athletics: IF Luis Urías
It's easy to forget that Urías looked like a rising star in 2021 (112 OPS+, 23 HR, 3.3 WAR) and 2022 (108 OPS+, 16 HR, 3.0 WAR) while playing for the Brewers, and he is still only 27 years old. He signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Athletics during the offseason, and he is hitting .259/.350/.471 for a 128 OPS+ with six home runs in 102 plate appearances. Don't expect the A's to sell any controllable pieces, as they stand on the cusp of potential future contention.
Los Angeles Angels: SP Tyler Anderson
Tyler Anderson, Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo were all popular names on the rumor mill last summer, and all three are potential trade candidates once again this year after staying put. Anderson, 35, has a 2.58 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 45.1 innings pitching in the final season of a three-year, $39 million deal. Closer Kenley Jansen, who's playing on a one-year, $10 million contract, could also be a popular trade target this summer.
NL East
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PROJECTED BUYERS—TOP TRADE TARGET
Atlanta Braves: Closer
After years as one of the best closers in baseball, Raisel Iglesias is off to an ugly start this season, converting just 6-of-9 save chances with a 6.06 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 17 appearances. He has allowed six home runs in 16.1 innings, and his 6.29 FIP and dip in velocity raise some serious questions about his ability to turn things around.
New York Mets: Left-handed reliever
With A.J. Minter (lat surgery) and Danny Young (Tommy John surgery) both out for the season, the only left-hander in the Mets bullpen right now is Génesis Cabrera, whom they signed to a minor league deal during the offseason. All roads to the World Series go through the Dodgers in the National League, and with Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani both swinging it from the left side, a high-leverage southpaw will be a necessity in the late innings.
Philadelphia Phillies: Setup reliever
The Phillies bullpen ranks 23rd in the majors with a 4.62 ERA, and they have eight blown saves in 20 chances. Southpaws José Alvarado and Matt Strahm have been reliable late-inning options, and offseason addition Jordan Romano is rounding into form, but the bullpen as a whole needs at least one more high-leverage arm to lean on to make a title push.
PROJECTED SELLERS—TOP TRADE CANDIDATE
Miami Marlins: SP Sandy Alcántara
Despite an 8.10 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 36.2 innings, Alcántara remains a high-profile potential trade chip who's still working to shake off the rust of a 2024 season lost to recovery from Tommy John surgery. If he can string together a few quality starts, he could still be one of the prizes of the deadline. Outfielder Jesús Sánchez and relievers Anthony Bender and Calvin Faucher could also be on the move.
Washington Nationals: 1B Nathaniel Lowe
With club control through 2026, Lowe is not a lock to be traded this summer as the Nationals try to take the next step forward from rebuilding to contending. However, with a $10.3 million salary this year that is poised to climb even higher in his final year of arbitration, he is a speculative trade candidate. The 29-year-old has a 102 OPS+ with seven doubles, seven home runs and 29 RBI.
NL Central
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PROJECTED BUYERS—TOP TRADE TARGET
Chicago Cubs: Setup reliever
The Cubs are 24th in the majors with a 4.68 ERA from their relief corps, and offseason pickup Ryan Pressly (16 G, 6.91 ERA) has not been the late-innings answer that they expected him to be. Up-and-comers Porter Hodge and Daniel Palencia have potential and Drew Pomeranz has been a nice pickup, but one more proven late-inning arm could go a long way.
Cincinnati Reds: Outfielder
Jake Fraley, Will Benson, Blake Dunn, Connor Joe, Rece Hinds and Jacob Hurtubise have all seen time in the outfield for the Reds this year, making that an obvious area to potentially upgrade given their lackluster production. Gavin Lux, TJ Friedl and Austin Hays have the potential to be a solid trio, but Lux and Hays have also been seeing semi-regular DH duty, so one more quality outfielder would help.
St. Louis Cardinals: Starting pitcher
Veteran ace Sonny Gray and breakout lefty Matthew Liberatore have been a solid one-two punch for the Cardinals, and the rotation as a whole has been better than expected, but a quality third starter to join that duo could be their top priority if they continue to exceed expectations. Miles Mikolas, Erick Fedde and Andre Pallante currently make up the rest of the starting staff, but all would be better served as back-end options.
PROJECTED SELLERS—TOP TRADE CANDIDATE
Milwaukee Brewers: SP Jose Quintana
Injured starters Nestor Cortes and Aaron Civale are both free agents this offseason, while slugger Rhys Hoskins also figures to hit the open market with an $18 million mutual option, so those three will be names to watch if the Brewers are not able to turn things around. However, Quintana currently looks like the team's best trade chip with a 2.65 ERA in 34 innings over his first six starts and a team-friendly $2.25 million salary.
Pittsburgh Pirates: SP Andrew Heaney
One of the final notable dominos to fall in free agency last winter, Heaney inked a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Pirates on Feb. 22. The 33-year-old has a 3.15 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 45.2 innings, and his performance during the 2023 playoffs gives him a proven track record in the bright lights of October.
NL West
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PROJECTED BUYERS—TOP TRADE TARGET
Arizona Diamondbacks: Late-inning reliever
The D-backs entered the season without a proven closer, but they expected two terrific, high-leverage arms in A.J. Puk and Justin Martínez to share late-inning duties. With both of those pitchers sidelined since April with arm issues, it has fallen to a committee of Shelby Miller, Kevin Ginkel and starter-turned-reliever Ryne Nelson to close out games. Even if everything gets healthy, more relief help is the most pressing need for an otherwise well-rounded D-backs team.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Outfielder
Even with Andy Pages enjoying a breakout season, the Dodgers could still use at least one more quality outfielder. That need has been magnified by Teoscar Hernández landing on the injured list with a groin strain. Michael Conforto, James Outman and Chris Taylor are not hitting, so if no one from that group steps up, an outside addition will likely be made.
San Diego Padres: Left fielder
The Padres opted for a bargain platoon of Jason Heyward and Connor Joe to address the loss of left fielder Jurickson Profar in free agency. Heyward is hitting .173/.226/.280 for a 43 OPS+ in 85 plate appearances, while Joe was demoted to the minors before eventually being traded to the Reds. Even a league-average performer would represent a massive upgrade.
San Francisco Giants: Starting pitcher
Logan Webb and a healthy Robbie Ray have been a terrific one-two punch for the Giants, but behind them, the trio of Justin Verlander (9 GS, 4.31 ERA, 48.0 IP), Jordan Hicks (8 GS, 5.82 ERA, 43.1 IP) and Landen Roupp (8 GS, 4.95 ERA, 40.0 IP) has been mediocre at best. With Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong pitching out of the bullpen, an outside addition could be coming this summer.
PROJECTED SELLERS—TOP TRADE CANDIDATE
Colorado Rockies: RP Jake Bird
Not surprisingly, the 7-35 Rockies are not exactly swimming in attractive trade chips, but Bird has been a standout in the bullpen. The 29-year-old has a 1.78 ERA and 11.7 K/9 in 17 appearances, and his 2.79 FIP lends some confidence to the sustainability of his early success. With club control through 2028, he also carries additional value as more than just a rental arm.
