Yankees and the 8 Most Desperate Teams at 2025 MLB Trade Deadline

Both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Baltimore Orioles will likely operate with a sense of urgency in advance of the July 31 trade deadline, but not in the way many expected they would coming into the season.

Each club has disappointed to different degrees in 2025, and with a ton of impending free agents, how the Diamondbacks and Orioles fare at this year's trade deadline could determine how quickly they return to contention.

The D-backs have already traded first baseman Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners, and they have a slew of other players who could walk in free agency following this season.

All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez is one of the game's elite sluggers, and he will be coveted in the coming days. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are both also trade candidates considering they can test free agency after the season.

With Corbin Burnes rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, the Snakes need to get back MLB-ready starting pitching this summer if they hope to be buying a year from now.

Meanwhile, the Orioles have already traded two relief pitchers in Bryan Baker (Tampa Bay Rays) and Gregory Soto (New York Mets). Other impending free agents in Baltimore include RHPs Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano and Zach Eflin, reliever Seranthony Domínguez and All-Star DH Ryan O'Hearn.

Still, when we talk about desperation at this time of year, it's usually buyers that most people have in mind. So here's a look at the eight teams who feel the most desperate to hit on trades before Thursday's deadline.

San Francisco Giants

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Clearly, first-year president of baseball operations Buster Posey isn't wired to sit at home in October. After all, this is someone who won three World Series titles in his first five MLB seasons.

So it wasn't surprising to see him strike on the opportunity to acquire Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox in mid-June. Devers has had a slow start to his tenure with the Giants, but the 28-year-old slugger is under contract through 2033. There's no reason to think he won't have a prolonged stretch of offensive greatness with the team even beyond this year.

There is pressure on the Giants to make the playoffs given they seem all-in. But if they don't make the postseason, what's really going to change? Devers, Matt Chapman and Logan Webb will still be there in 2026. Posey isn't going anywhere. He did inherit veteran skipper Bob Melvin, but it's hard to think he won't retain the three-time Manager of the Year if San Francisco fails to make a deep postseason run this year.

Posey has a strong desire to win, there's internal pressure in San Francisco in advance of Thursday's trade deadline. The Giants could use a No. 3 starting pitcher, along with a corner outfield and/or corner infield bat. But if they can't fix all of those in a manner that allows them to just make a playoff appearance as a wild-card team this year, heads aren't going to roll.

Seattle Mariners

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Cal Raleigh is amid a legendary individual season, and the Mariners have as talented of a rotation as there is in baseball. There is pressure on president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto to make moves that help them reach the postseason for just the second time since 2001.

The reason the M's are lower on this list is they have already made one move to upgrade their lineup, acquiring Naylor from the Diamondbacks. He gives them a first baseman with pop.

Still, it seems like the Mariners are always in need of more offensive production. They've solved one corner infield spot, but third base still needs to be upgraded. Seattle seems to be as good of a fit as anyone for Suárez, who previously played there from 2022-2023. The M's are going to struggle to come close to replicating Suárez-level production if they miss out on the real thing.

Seattle's bullpen is led by All-Star Andrés Muñoz, but they could use another bullpen arm. Given Gabe Speier is the only lefty in their bullpen currently, adding another arm from that side would make sense.

New York Mets

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Owner Steve Cohen always puts pressure on his team to win. But president of baseball operations David Stearns has about as much job security as any executive in the league. And while Pete Alonso will likely test free agency again this offseason, the Mets will retain him if they decide to make the necessary investment.

The Mets did reach the NLCS a year ago, and the senior circuit playoff picture appears to be wide open. Stearns could drastically improve this team by acquiring a starter who could take the ball early in a postseason series. Set-up and third base are two other spots the Mets need better results at.

Still, Juan Soto is under contract through 2039, and Francisco Lindor is still at the height of his powers. Surely, the Mets will act with aggression this summer, hoping to win their first World Series since 1986. But even in a market like New York, the consequences if they don't make the right moves before the trade deadline to get over the top won't be as serious.

San Diego Padres

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President of baseball operations A.J. Preller always seems to find a way to acquire a new set of stars, but Dylan Cease, Robert Suárez, Luis Arráez and the injured Michael King can all become free agents this offseason.

It's entirely possible—even with the star trio of Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill—that the Padres aren't as good next season.

Preller, who loves to make big moves, needs to get a big bat to upgrade left field. There should also be an urgency to acquire another starting pitcher under control for the 2026 season given Cease and King might both depart after this season.

These last few seasons have been the most relevant stretch in the history of the Padres. But they don't have a World Series appearance to show for it. With the right moves before the trade deadline, Preller could help change that.

New York Yankees

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It feels like this is as low as you can put the Yankees on a list like this. There's always a ton of pressure on them: They're the Yankees.

With that said, New York reached the World Series a year ago. General manager Brian Cashman is signed through 2026 and manager Aaron Boone to 2027. Both will almost certainly be back next season.

Where there's really pressure on the Yankees is to take advantage of one of the greatest primes baseball has seen with Aaron Judge, who is 33 years old. The Yankees have already acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon to improve their defense, but it does feel like they're one big bat short. They also need another starter and help in the bullpen.

Frankly, while expectations are always high for the Yankees, they don't really feel like a World Series team right now. That doesn't mean Cashman shouldn't try to upgrade the roster, but this doesn't feel like a year when the team should push its chips to the center of the table.

That will be even truer if Aaron Judge's flexor strain turns into an injury that prevents him from playing in the field—or at all—the rest of this season.

Philadelphia Phillies

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Kyle Schwarber is having an MVP-level season in a contract year. Ranger Suárez and J.T. Realmuto are also impending free agents. Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler and Trea Turner are probably closer to the back half of their primes.

There is a ton of pressure on the Phillies to get over the hump and win it all this year.

Still, there are quite a few holes that need plugged on this team. Even with the signing of David Robertson, they could use at least one more high-leverage relief arm. And it almost feels like it needs to be a sure thing such as Emmanuel Clase, Jhoan Durán or Griffin Jax.

The Phillies also need another right-handed bat, preferably one who can play center and/or left field while hitting in the middle of the order.

It's fair to wonder if there are too many holes for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to fix before the trade deadline, particularly if the organization isn't inclined to gut the farm system. But with the game's best one-two starting punch with Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez, this is a team that can't afford to go another year without having a parade.

Chicago Cubs

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Between Kyle Tucker's uncertain future and Matthew Boyd having the finest season of his career at age 34, this feels like a year when the Cubs need to strike.

Having lost Justin Steele for the season due to Tommy John surgery, they could use another front-line pitching option to take into a postseason series along with Boyd and Shota Imanaga. The problem is, there aren't a ton of those out there right now.

Doubling down on the strength of their lineup might be a wise path forward for president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. The Cubs are one of many teams that make sense for Suárez, and getting him could also prevent a division-rival like the Cincinnati Reds from instead landing him.

The Cubs have a "this might be their year" vibe. But there's work to be done to make that a reality.

Toronto Blue Jays

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At the time of publication, the Blue Jays are leading the American League East thanks to a torrid July.

That's a blessing and a curse, though, because in a year without a dominant team, not only do the Blue Jays now appear to be the favorites to win their division but also a World Series contender.

If they keep playing like that, it will assure general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider—both of whom appeared to be on the hot seat entering the year—will return in 2026. But if there's a collapse and Toronto misses the playoffs, it might end their time with the club.

The good news is the Blue Jays reached a $500 million extension with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. earlier this season, so they don't have his future hanging over their season. But they need to add another starter—ideally one who's not a rental—and find a way to improve their offense in left field.

Maybe Anthony Santander will come back and make the type of impact the Jays expected when they signed him in free agency this past offseason. But it might just be a lost year for the slugger.

Again, the Blue Jays are in a really good spot right now. But it's heightened expectations for the team and put GM Atkins in the spotlight as much as anyone in advance of the trade deadline.