MLB's Top 10 Most Likely Trade Candidates Before 2026 Deadline
Major League Baseball's August 3 trade deadline is still more than 100 days away, but you better believe that both prospective buyers and sellers are already thinking about how they're going to approach that swap meet.
After all, big trades can happen at any time before that midsummer line in the sand. The Rafael Devers blockbuster happened in mid-June last year. The Marlins shipped Luis Arraez to the Padres in early May 2024. So those wheels are probably already turning.
With that in mind, who is most likely to be on the move this year?
First and foremost, these trade candidates all play for a team that is likely to be a seller at the deadline. At least we have "To Make the Playoffs" betting odds from FanDuel to help on that front, where there are eight teams presently listed at +300 or worse: Angels, Cardinals, Giants, Marlins, Nationals, Rockies, Twins and White Sox.
While it's certainly possible the Astros, Mets, Royals and others will ultimately join the selling club, that's the subset of eight teams where we'll be focusing all of our efforts today.
Beyond that, we're searching for players who are that ideal blend of desirable (playing well enough to help a contender), affordable (not on a horrendous contract) and movable (nearing the end of contract/team control).
Players are presented in alphabetical order by last name.
3 Additional Players Who Need to Be Mentioned
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In addition to our top 10, here are three other players who definitely meet the desirable and affordable qualifications, but who might not be on the move because their current employers will demand a king's ransom for them.
CJ Abrams, SS, Washington Nationals (arbitration-eligible through 2028)
After the Nationals traded away MacKenzie Gore for a platter of prospects in January, the general assumption was that Abrams might be next on the shopping block.
However, it didn't happen, and then he triple-slashed .371/.481/.710 through the first 18 games. Now, they might be pretty intent on just hanging onto Abrams and his two remaining years of team control after this one.
Munetaka Murakami, 1B/DH, Chicago White Sox ($17M in 2027)
Remember spring 2023, when it seemed like at least three times per week, there was a video of Elly De La Cruz annihilating a baseball at Triple-A Louisville, followed by everyone saying he was too darn good to be playing for that team? We've reached a similar point with Murakami on the White Sox, who hit one over the batter's eye in West Sacramento on Friday for his first grand slam.
Even with his eight home runs, the White Sox have one of the worst run differentials and seem all but destined to find their way back into dead last in the AL standings. For them to even consider parting with Murakami's two-year, $34M contract, it's likely going to take a gargantuan offer, even if they have minimal hope of extending him beyond 2027.
Joe Ryan, RHP, Minnesota Twins (arbitration-eligible in 2027)
It's clear at this point that the Twins aren't too keen on the idea of trading away Ryan. They easily could have done so during last summer's fire sale, or at frankly any juncture this offseason, when the likes of Sonny Gray, Edward Cabrera, MacKenzie Gore and Freddy Peralta were all on the move. But they've held onto their ace, who they can continue to hang onto for one more year.
If what was an 11-7 start to the year continues to go downhill for them, though, maybe this is the summer they at least entertain offers for Ryan.
Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Miami Marlins
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Early Returns: 35.1 IP, 3.06 ERA, 4.40 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 5.9 K/9
Contract: $17M in 2026, $21M club option for 2027
Sandy Alcantara was a staple in these types of articles from November 2024 through the 2025 trade deadline, as it just made sense for the rebuilding, low-budget Marlins to trade away the more expensive seasons of what will be a six-year, $77M contract if his 2027 club option is exercised.
However, as he worked his way back from missing all of 2024 to Tommy John surgery, Alcantara never quite checked the "desirable" box necessary for a blockbuster trade, posting a 7.14 ERA through his first 19 starts.
Over his final 12 outings of the season, though, he had a 3.13 ERA. He has essentially maintained through the first few weeks of the current campaign, including a complete-game shutout of the White Sox on April 1.
He did have an extremely uncharacteristic six-walk, one-strikeout dud in his last outing against the Brewers. This came after allowing three home runs and seven total runs in a loss to the Tigers. We shall see which direction his season goes from here.
If the Marlins fall wholly out of contention, though, they'll be more motivated to move him this summer—especially if top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White and UCL recoveree Braxton Garrett continue shoving at Triple-A Jacksonville.
Luis Arraez, 2B/1B, San Francisco Giants
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Early Returns: .305/.337/.366, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB
Contract: $12M in 2026, Free Agent this winter
We could also include Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle on this list as San Francisco's other impending free agents who could make an eight-figure salary. If they move three-time batting champ Luis Arraez, they'll most likely try to dump those pitching millions, too.
At least with Arraez, though, teams know what they're getting: lots of hits, minimal slugging/speed and defense on the right side of the infield that leaves something to be desired.
The hits are the key, though.
Since the beginning of 2022, Arraez has an MLB-best 782 of them, good for 31 more than the next-closest player (Freddie Freeman). As a result, he was both an All-Star and a recipient of MVP votes in each of 2022, 2023 and 2024 before dipping slightly below a .300 batting average last season.
Meanwhile, the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Royals, Guardians and Reds have all gotten a .186 or worse batting average from the second base slot in their lineup thus far this season. They would all be salivating over the possibility of adding Arraez if that continues to be the case.
Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Miami Marlins
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Early Returns: 8.0 IP, 7.88 ERA, 2.51 FIP, 1.13 WHIP, 13.5 K/9
Contract: $13M in 2026, Free Agent this winter
Pete Fairbanks' early ERA is ghastly, but we're inclined to give him a mulligan, given the solid FIP and the circumstances surrounding most of the earned runs allowed.
The closer allowed a three-run home run at Yankee Stadium in a game where he served as the opener in order to get a bit of work in before going on paternity leave. When he returned to the mound nine days later, he allowed another three runs at Atlanta when called upon in the eighth inning for what either would have been a hold or a six-out save.
In his usual spot in the ninth inning, though, Fairbanks has pitched six innings, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out 10.
From 2023-25, he was one of six pitchers to tally at least 75 saves with a sub-3.00 ERA. The others were Jhoan Duran, Josh Hader, Raisel Iglesias, Carlos Estévez and Emmanuel Clase.
It's why the Marlins were willing to give him $13M this winter, expecting him to anchor their bullpen for the first four months before either continuing to serve in that role for a postseason push or becoming maybe the most coveted reliever on the market.
Adam Frazier, UTIL, Los Angeles Angels
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Early Returns: .270/.386/.405, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Contract: $1.75M in 2026, Free Agent this winter
Second only to relievers, there seems to always be a robust trade market for utilitymen on expiring contracts like Adam Frazier.
Heck, Frazier was even one of the versatile defenders who was traded for ahead of last summer's deadline, along with José Caballero, Willi Castro, Amed Rosario, Oswald Peraza, Ramón Urías and Miguel Andujar.
To be clear, Frazier wasn't even having a good season, posting a .654 OPS in 78 games played for the Pirates, which is roughly where he has been at since the beginning of 2022. Still, the Royals wanted him. He ended up playing him in 56 of the final 65 games of their postseason quest.
As long as that bat is serviceable, there's a lot of value in adding a guy who can fill five or six different spots on the depth chart. Frazier's bat has been more than just serviceable early on this season, entering play on Monday with the best batting average and second-best (behind only Mike Trout) OPS among Angels hitters.
Frazier even put a ball in play against Mason Miller on Saturday. Sure, it was a game-ending groundout, but any non-strikeout against that guy feels like a miracle these days.
Foster Griffin, LHP, Washington Nationals
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Early Returns: 20.2 IP, 3.05 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 1.26 WHIP, 8.3 K/9
Contract: $5.5M in 2026, Free Agent this winter
During this never-ending rebuild, the Washington Nationals have made quite the habit of signing reclamation projects to one-year, $5M-ish contracts, with plans of flipping said player for a prospect or two if they're worth trading for over the summer.
They did it with Jon Lester in 2021, getting Lane Thomas in return. They also did it with Jeimer Candelario in 2023, tried to do it with Joey Gallo in 2024, and ended up signing and trading all of Amed Rosario, Michael Soroka and Kyle Finnegan last year. It's inevitable they'll try to do it again this year with Foster Griffin and Zack Littell.
The latter's contract is a bit more complex, though, with a $4M buyout attached to a mutual option, as well as incentives linked to innings pitched. Littell has also gotten out to a rather dreadful start with a 7.11 ERA through his first four appearances.
But Griffin?
Who had a 2.57 ERA in Japan from 2023-25 before coming back to MLB and going at least five innings in each of his first four starts?
There's going to be a market for that guy if he stays healthy, just like there was a market for Erick Fedde after he pitched well in Korea in 2023 and upon his return with the White Sox in 2024. (Coincidentally, both Griffin and Fedde were first-round picks in 2014 before needing to revive their careers in Asia.)
Jimmy Herget, RHP, Colorado Rockies
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Early Returns: 11.0 IP, 1.64 ERA, 2.49 FIP, 0.91 WHIP, 6.5 K/9
Contract: $1.55M in 2026, Arbitration Eligible for 2027
Aside from slugging All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, side-arming set-up man Jimmy Herget was just about the only thing about the 2025 Colorado Rockies that wasn't a disaster.
They didn't trade him away, though. He ended the season with a 2.48 ERA in 83.1 innings of work—becoming the first Rockies pitcher to log at least 80 innings in a single season with a sub-2.50 ERA since Gabe White in 2000.
So far this season, Herget has been even better, albeit with a lower whiff rate.
And goodness knows there is always a summer market for relief pitchers worth even a fraction of a darn. Just in the final 12 hours before last year's deadline, there were around 20 big-league relievers on the move, including San Diego's all-in move for Mason Miller.
By no means will Herget command a Miller level of prospect return, but he's now up to 69 appearances with a 2.39 ERA for the Colorado Rockies. Someone with a seventh/eighth inning need might be willing to bend over backwards to get this guy into their bullpen for the 2026 stretch run and the entirety of 2027.
Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
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Early Returns: .278/.391/.463, 2 HR, 12 RBI
Contract: $6.7M in 2026, Free Agent this winter
It's pretty rare for a quality catcher to get traded midseason.
Freddy Fermin was an exception to that rule last year, with the Padres giving up not one but two starting pitchers with at least some big league experience to acquire that backstop from the Royals. Prior to that one, you need to go back to 2016 to find the most recent semi-blockbuster, when the Brewers traded All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy to the Rangers.
With Ryan Jeffers in his final season of arbitration eligibility, though, and the Twins likely to fall out of contention over the course of the next few months, we could see another exception to the rule this summer.
Since the beginning of 2023, Jeffers has been one of the best offensive catchers in baseball, per FanGraphs. Only Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Iván Herrera and both William and Willson Contreras—if we're even counting the latter, who has been a full-time first baseman since the beginning of last season—have a higher Offense rating than Jeffers.
After a bit of a down year in 2025 with a .397 slugging percentage, he has been enjoying a bounce-back year thus far, including his first triple since late in the 2023 campaign.
Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies
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Early Returns: .273/.305/.655, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 1 SB
Contract: $4M in 2026, Arbitration Eligible for 2027
In just a few months, it will be the 10-year anniversary of when Mickey Moniak was taken No. 1 overall in the 2016 MLB draft.
And after quite the circuitous journey, he might finally be a legitimately coveted asset on the trade block.
Not for his defense, mind you. He had darn near the least valuable glove/arm/range combination in all of baseball in 2025, committing multiple errors in each of left, center and right field. He was, at best, a replacement-level fielder prior to that debacle of a year on defense.
However, he had a breakthrough year on offense in 2022 with an OPS of .802. After a regression in 2023, he was even better with 24 home runs and an .824 OPS in 2025. So far this year, he's sitting at a .960.
We (and prospective buyers) do need to consider the Coors Field factor. His home OPS in 2025 (.946) was drastically better than his road OPS (.680). He's showing similarly drastic splits of 1.061 and .806, respectively, in the early going this year.
That's a pretty darn good road OPS, though. The Yankees didn't seem to care about the Coors Field inflation in Ryan McMahon's numbers when they gave up multiple prospects in the process of taking on the remainder of his bloated contract last summer. There's a decent chance someone with a hole either in the outfield or at DH would be happy to take a chance on Moniak.
JoJo Romero, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
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Early Returns: 12.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 1.08 WHIP, 4.5 K/9
Contract: $4.26M in 2026, Free Agent this winter
Amid trading away all of Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan, it's weird that the Cardinals couldn't find a taker for this southpaw ahead of his final season before hitting free agency.
JoJo Romero made 65 appearances in each of 2024 and 2025, giving St. Louis a 2.70 ERA in 120 innings of work while ranking fifth in the majors (first among lefties) with 54 holds.
Moreover, he was substantially better last year than he was the previous year, allowing just two home runs and blowing one save/hold while posting a 2.07 ERA.
Romero isn't a flamethrowing strikeout machine, but he gets the job done all the same. His sinker/sweeper/changeup arsenal is quite effective at inducing groundouts. There is a whole host of contenders who could use a high-leverage pitcher who has held opposing left-handed hitters to a .537 OPS in his career.
Just for fun, let's call our shot with this one: Romero gets traded to Baltimore for a reunion with Ryan Helsley and for a bunch of "Can't spell JoJo Romero without the O's" jokes. At any rate, that's a bullpen lacking for southpaws.
Jorge Soler, DH/RF, Los Angeles Angels
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Early Returns: .233/.333/.479, 5 HR, 19 RBI
Contract: $13M in 2026, Free Agent this winter
Wouldn't it be fun if the Atlanta Braves acquired Jorge Soler at the trade deadline for a third time in six seasons? They don't exactly need any help in the run production department at the moment, but if Mike Yastrzemski doesn't turn things around, they'll probably be in the market for at least one bat.
This isn't a landing spots article, though.
Our goal is to simply identify players who could be on the move.
An impending free agent who already has five home runs for a team that isn't expected to remain in the mix for a playoff spot?
That certainly fits the bill.
The fact that Soler almost has to be exclusively used as a DH does impact his marketability, as there are quite a few teams who already have one of those players in their lineup. But there are also always contenders looking to add guys who can mash baseballs, which Soler is doing more often thus far this season than he did in either 2024 or 2025.
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