Eugenio Suárez, Seth Lugo, Top 25 Rental Targets at 2025 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 and are poised to sell at the deadline.
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 stock ahead of free agency.
Jack Flaherty (DET to LAD), Yusei Kikuchi (TOR to HOU), Tanner Scott (MIA to SD), Carlos Estévez (LAA to PHI) and Jesse Winker (WAS to NYM) were among the top rental players on the move last summer.
Ahead, we've ranked the top 25 rentals on the 2025 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: Jarren Duran, Mitch Keller, Top 25 Non-Rental Targets at 2025 MLB Trade Deadline
Honorable Mentions
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Pitchers
SP Tyler Anderson, LAA
RP Jalen Beeks, ARI
SP Aaron Civale, CWS
SP Zach Eflin, BAL
SP Erick Fedde, STL
SP Austin Gomber, COL
SP Andrew Heaney, PIT
SP Kyle Hendricks, LAA
RP Raisel Iglesias, ATL
RP Jakob Junis, CLE
SP Michael Lorenzen, KC
SP Germán Márquez, COL
RP Steven Matz, STL
RP Rafael Montero, ATL
SP Charlie Morton, BAL
SP Chris Paddack, MIN
SP Tomoyuki Sugano, BAL
Hitters
3B Yoán Moncada, LAA
OF Tommy Pham, PIT
IF Luis Rengifo, LAA
IF/OF Amed Rosario, WAS
1B Carlos Santana, CLE
OF Lane Thomas, CLE
2B Luis Urías, ATH
IF Gio Urshela, ATH
Nos. 25-21
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25. RP Shelby Miller, Arizona Diamondbacks
One of the best bargain signings of the offseason, Miller inked a one-year, $1 million deal with the D-backs. The 34-year-old has a 1.98 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 9.9 K/9 with 10 saves in 37 games filling in for the injured duo of AJ Puk and Justin Martínez in the ninth inning, though he joined them on the injured list in early July with a forearm strain. He threw to live hitters on Tuesday, but his session was cut short with back tightness, so anyone trading for him will be gambling on his return to health.
24. SP Michael Lorenzen, Kansas City Royals
Lorenzen has been traded at the deadline each of the past two seasons, logging a 1.57 ERA in 28.2 innings with the Royals down the stretch last season before rejoining them on a one-year, $5.5 million deal in January. He has a 4.61 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 99.2 innings, and he tossed seven shutout innings against the D-backs in his last outing on July 6. He has been on the injured list since that start with an oblique strain, making him a roll of the dice as a deadline addition.
23. OF Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles
Mullins got off to a hot start at the plate, but since the beginning of May, he is hitting .180/.226/.335 with a 27.2 percent strikeout rate. He has also posted poor defensive metrics (-16 DRS) in center field. However, the 30-year-old remains a good source of power (27 XBH, 13 HR) and speed (14 SB), and a change of scenery could jump-start his season.
22. DH Josh Bell, Washington Nationals
Bell has been a steady source of power and run production throughout his career, and he has a 102 OPS+ with 13 home runs playing on a one-year, $6 million deal with the Nationals. A .358/.452/.566 line in 62 plate appearances in July should help elevate his trade appeal.
21. SP Charlie Morton, Baltimore Orioles
After a disastrous start to the season and a brief demotion to the bullpen, Morton returned to the Orioles rotation on May 26. Since that time, he has a 3.78 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 47.2 innings over his last nine starts. The 41-year-old has a 3.60 ERA in 80 career playoff innings, and that October experience will appeal to contenders.
Nos. 20-16
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20. RP Gregory Soto, Baltimore Orioles
There will always be a market for lefty relievers with power stuff, and Soto has just that with a fastball that averages 96.7 mph and a slider that generates a 46.8 percent whiff rate. The 30-year-old has a 4.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 in 44 games, and he leads the Orioles with 18 holds.
19. RP Seranthony Domínguez, Baltimore Orioles
Domínguez closed games for the Orioles down the stretch on their way to the postseason last year after he was acquired from the Phillies in a deal that sent Austin Hays the other way. He has returned to a setup role this season with Félix Bautista back healthy, and he has a 3.63 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 with 12 holds in 41 appearances.
18. RP Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals
An All-Star in 2024, Finnegan was a surprise non-tender by the Nationals last offseason, though he eventually found his way back to the club on a one-year, $5.38 million deal. His 85 saves since the start of the 2023 season rank third in the majors behind only Emmanuel Clase (113) and Josh Hader (93), but he has six blown saves and a 4.62 ERA to go along with his 19 saves in 2025.
17. RP Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Angels
In his 16th MLB season, Jansen is up to fourth on the all-time list with 464 career saves, and he has been effective closing out games again this year with 17 saves in 18 chances. He has a 3.28 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a career-low 8.8 K/9 in 39 appearances, and his 4.24 FIP suggests he might be best served in a setup role for a contender.
16. IF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Pittsburgh Pirates
Kiner-Falefa is one of the few available options for teams looking to upgrade the middle infield spots, along with utility players such as Willi Castro (MIN), Amed Rosario (WAS) and Luis Rengifo (LAA). The Pirates acquired IKF from the Blue Jays at the trade deadline last year, and while his 83 OPS+ limits his value, he has a .274 batting average and is a plus defender at multiple positions.
Nos. 15-11
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15. SP Michael Soroka, Washington Nationals
A 5.10 ERA over 72.1 innings might not jump off the page, but Soroka backs it with a 4.05 FIP that suggests he has pitched better than his surface-level results. He has done a nice job limiting walks (2.6 BB/9) while also holding opponents to a .228 batting average en route to a terrific 1.15 WHIP.
14. SP Zack Littell, Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays often take an opportunistic approach to the deadline with a mix of buying and selling, and this year will likely be no different. With a wealth of starting pitching talent, Littell is a candidate to be flipped in a relatively thin market for mid-level starting pitching. The 29-year-old has a 3.53 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 122.1 innings, though his 4.82 FIP and a 17.0 percent strikeout rate that ranks 51st among 59 qualified starters paint a less rosy picture.
13. RP Danny Coulombe, Minnesota Twins
Coulombe has the lowest ERA among all relievers with at least 30 appearances on the year, sporting a 0.63 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 in 37 games. His $3 million salary makes him an easy addition to any contender's bullpen from a financial standpoint, and the southpaw has been equally effective against righties (58 PA, .170 BA, .449 OPS) and lefties (53 PA, .196 BA, .442 OPS).
12. RP Phil Maton, St. Louis Cardinals
Few pitchers have done a better job limiting hard contact this season than Maton, who ranks among the MLB leaders in hard-hit rate allowed (97th percentile), average exit velocity allowed (100th percentile) and barrel rate allowed (97th percentile). The 32-year-old has a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 with 18 holds in 38 games.
11. SP Adrian Houser, Chicago White Sox
After five productive seasons in the Brewers rotation, Houser struggled to a 5.84 ERA with the Mets in 2024. He landed with the White Sox in May after exercising an opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Rangers, and he has been lights-out with a 1.89 ERA in 62 innings over 10 starts. His 3.01 FIP is a better indication of what to expect going forward, but that is still good enough to help a contender's rotation.
Nos. 10-6
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10. OF Harrison Bader, Minnesota Twins
Bader is enjoying his best season since his time with the Cardinals, hitting .248/.328/.433 for a 107 OPS+ with 11 doubles, 12 home runs and 37 RBI in 287 plate appearances, and he has provided his usual strong defense (3 DRS) in center field. The 31-year-old has a .920 OPS with five home runs in 50 plate appearances in July.
9. IF/OF Willi Castro, Minnesota Twins
After failing to carve out a regular role during his time with the Tigers, Castro has developed into one of the best utility players in baseball during his three seasons with the Twins. The 2024 All-Star has a 113 OPS+ with 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 315 plate appearances, and he has started games at second base, shortstop, third base and both corner outfield spots.
8. DH Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves
Ozuna had huge offensive seasons in 2023 (140 OPS+, 40 HR, 100 RBI) and 2024 (153 OPS+, 39 HR, 104 RBI), and he is still a quality rental bat in a down year relative to that production. The 34-year-old is hitting .235/.361/.390 for a 112 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 42 RBI, though the remainder of his $16 million salary could be a sticking point for some teams.
7. 1B Josh Naylor, Arizona Diamondbacks
Naylor had a career year in 2024, posting a 118 OPS+ with 31 home runs and 108 RBI en route to his first All-Star selection. The Guardians flipped him to the D-backs during the offseason as a replacement for Christian Walker, and he is hitting .293/.361/.449 for a 125 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 11 home runs and 58 RBI. A lack of production against left-handed hitters (124 PA, .660 OPS, 2 HR) might limit him to a platoon role on a contender.
6. RP Ryan Helsley, St. Louis Cardinals
Helsley led the NL with 49 saves last season while posting a 2.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 to finish ninth in NL Cy Young balloting. The 31-year-old has electric stuff with a fastball that averages 99.3 mph and a wipeout slider that is limiting hitters to an .082 average with a 45.0 percent whiff rate, and he is the type of reliever who can be a game-changer in October. He has a 3.18 ERA and 9.8 K/9 with 19 saves in 24 chances in 2025.
5. SP Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Similar to Sandy Alcántara, a contender trading for Zac Gallen will be banking on a change of scenery and a role in a team's playoff push jump-starting a disappointing season from a longtime ace.
In the three seasons prior to the 2025 campaign, Gallen racked up 12.3 WAR while posting a 3.20 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 568 strikeouts in 542 innings, a total that trailed only Zack Wheeler (15.1), Logan Webb (13.8) and Dylan Cease (12.7) during that span.
The 29-year-old has a 5.58 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 121 innings this year, and he has served up a NL-high 23 home runs.
Earlier this month, he turned in consecutive strong starts against the Giants (7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 10 K) and Padres (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 9 K), flashing the potential he has to still be a front-line-caliber starter when things are clicking.
4. 1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles
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In what has largely been a disappointing season across the board for the Orioles, slugger Ryan O'Hearn is enjoying a career year that landed him a starting spot in the All-Star Game and makes him one of the top bats on the summer trade market.
The 31-year-old was a productive platoon bat in 2023 (368 PA, 122 OPS+, 14 HR, 60 RBI) and 2024 (494 PA, 120 OPS+, 15 HR, 59 RBI), and he is on his way to a career high in plate appearances this season.
He is hitting .280/.375/.453 for a 135 OPS+ with 14 doubles, 12 home runs, 36 RBI and 1.9 WAR in 87 games, though he has again seen little exposure to left-handed pitching, batting .216 with a .597 OPS in 59 plate appearances.
Unlike fellow rental slugger Marcell Ozuna, O'Hearn provides some defensive versatility with the ability to play first base and both corner outfield spots.
3. SP Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals
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After making a successful shift from bullpen to rotation for the San Diego Padres in 2023, Seth Lugo joined the Kansas City Royals on a two-year, $30 million deal and put together the best season of his career in 2024.
The 35-year-old went 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 181 strikeouts in 206.2 innings to finish runner-up in AL Cy Young balloting, and while he has had a bit more trouble keeping the ball in the ballpark this year, the end result has been similarly effective.
In 18 starts, he has a 2.94 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 107 innings, though he has already allowed 17 home runs after surrendering only 16 long balls in roughly 100 more innings a year ago.
Lugo is technically not a straight rental with a $15 million player option for 2026, but that is a lock to be rejected in favor of a longer deal and higher average annual value (AAV) to reflect his improved performance.
2. SP Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
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After a five-year run in the Tampa Bay Rays farm system and four seasons in the KBO, Merrill Kelly made his MLB debut shortly after his 30th birthday for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In seven seasons in the big leagues, he has a 3.76 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 946.1 innings, and he was instrumental in helping the D-backs reach the 2023 World Series as the co-ace of the staff alongside Zac Gallen.
The 36-year-old is enjoying the best season of any rental arm on the market this summer, with a 3.32 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 122 innings, and he has 12 quality starts in 21 outings.
Kelly's age will likely limit his market to shorter two- or three-year deals in free agency, but his long-term outlook has no impact on his value as a rental, and he could be a game-changing addition to a contender's rotation.
1. 3B Eugenio Suárez, Arizona Diamondbacks
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No one has ever hit more home runs before being traded at the deadline than the 36 long balls Eugenio Suárez has already crushed during the 2025 season, and that total is poised to climb as he is swinging one of the hottest bats in baseball.
The 34-year-old is the NL leader in home runs and RBI (86), and he is hitting .254/.325/.598 for a 150 OPS+ while sporting a 26.2 percent strikeout rate that is his lowest since 2018.
Since the beginning of June, he has a 1.071 OPS with 21 home runs in 42 games, and he has three multi-homer games in July as his trade value continues to skyrocket.
It's worth mentioning he has a 1.023 OPS and 24 home runs at home, compared to an .817 OPS and 12 home runs on the road, but even that road production is enough to make him one of the top bats on the market.
