The Updated 2026 MLB Trade Deadline Big Board
The 2025 MLB season had one of the wildest trade deadlines in history, and we're now less than two months from finding out if the 2026 version can live up to it.
Judging from the names on our Trade Deadline Big Board, it just might.
The goal is to rank the 30 best players who could change teams before the phones go silent at 6 p.m. ET on August 3. These guys' names have already been mentioned in trade buzz, most notably by ESPN's Jeff Passan.
There are some noteworthy players who didn't make the cut, so we'll go ahead and tell you not to bother looking for Yordan Alvarez or Mike Trout. They probably should be traded, but the vibes just aren't in favor of it.
Otherwise, this is all about making our way to the single most desirable player on the summer trade market.
Stats are current through play on Sunday, June 7.
Nos. 30-28
1 of 10
30. RHP Antonio Senzatela, Colorado Rockies
2026 Stats: 18 G, 36.1 IP, 25 H (2 HR), 30 K, 10 BB, 1.98 ERA
Contract: Year 5 of 5-year, $50.5 million (2027 team option)
This is the same Antonio Senzatela who ran a 5.41 ERA between 2019 and 2025, an ugly figure even by Coors Field standards. Except, he's a reliever now and is baffling hitters with a 97 mph fastball and a sneaky-good cutter. He doesn't have platoon splits and can go multiple innings as needed, so he should be in demand.
29. OF Mickey Moniak, Colorado Rockies
2026 Stats: 43 G, 164 PA, 12 HR, .280 AVG, .335 OBP, .607 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $4 million (free agent after 2027)
Mickey Moniak hasn't played since May 21 because of ankle tendinitis, and any fascination with his slugging percentage must distinguish between his home (.718 SLG) and road (.462 SLG) splits. If healthy, though, he's worth valuing for his 115 wRC+ against righties since 2023.
28. OF Lars Nootbaar, St. Louis Cardinals
2026 Stats: 3 G, 13 PA, 1 HR, .300 AVG, .462 OBP, .700 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $5.35 million (free agent after 2027)
Lars Nootbaar is still fresh off the injured list, so don't read too much into his numbers. All the same, this is a guy who can play all three outfield spots and has a track record of above-average offense. Because of a career 115 wRC+ against righties, he's ideal for platoon work.
Nos. 27-25
2 of 10
27. RHP Riley O'Brien, St. Louis Cardinals
2026 Stats: 29 G, 29.1 IP, 27 H (1 HR), 31 K, 7 BB, 3.68 ERA
Contract: 1 year, $795,050 (free agent after 2030)
True, Riley O'Brien is under St. Louis' control for four more seasons. But he's also 31 years old, so moving him now while he's worth something is the wise play. He's more of a setup man than a closer type, but a darn good one because of high-90s heat, good control and a knack for getting ground balls.
26. RHP Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners
2026 Stats: 13 G, 61.0 IP, 60 H (8 HR), 61 K, 23 BB, 5.16 ERA
Contract: Year 4 of 5-year, $108 million (2028 vesting option)
If anyone is going to be the odd man out in Seattle's rotation, it's Luis Castillo. He's not the guy the Mariners acquired back in 2022, but he still has a rubber arm that eats innings and occasionally flashes high-90s heat. And if the Mariners' piggyback experiment proved anything, it's that he can work as a hybrid long man/fireman out of the bullpen.
25. 3B Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros
2026 Stats: 61 G, 252 PA, 9 HR, .242 AVG, .333 OBP, .416 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $9.35 million (2027 team option)
Right-handed batters are slugging below .390 for the first time since 1992. Simply in that context, Isaac Paredes has value. His special brand of pull power plays anywhere, but it figures to be especially useful at a park that caters to that kind of power.
Nos. 24-22
3 of 10
24. 2B Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers
2026 Stats: 37 G, 166 PA, 3 HR, .270 AVG, .386 OBP, .365 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $22.03 million
The Gleyber Torres who was once an elite slugging infielder remains long gone, but there's nothing wrong with that on-base percentage. This is now two years in a row that he's shown outstanding zone discipline, and that at least makes him a good complementary piece for a contender.
23. RF Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels
2026 Stats: 66 G, 272 PA, 10 HR, .243 AVG, .283 OBP, .392 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $5.2 million (free agent after 2027)
Jo Adell is a former top prospect who has 527 major league games under his belt, and he still only has 0.5 rWAR. Yet he did hit 37 home runs just last year, so maybe he can be for a contender in 2026 what Jorge Soler was for Atlanta back in 2021: The guy who comes in and provides huge homers in October.
22. LF Taylor Ward, Baltimore Orioles
2026 Stats: 65 G, 298 PA, 3 HR, .255 AVG, .396 OBP, .360 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $12.18 million
Taylor Ward is carrying out an interesting experiment in not swinging. His swing rate is just 31.6 percent, easily the lowest among qualified hitters. It's fair to wonder how long he can keep this up, but he does have power to fall back on if pitchers get more aggressive. He hit 36 homers just last year.
Nos. 21-19
4 of 10
21. LHP Kris Bubic, Kansas City Royals
2026 Stats: 9 GS, 50.1 IP, 36 H (4 HR), 51 K, 26 BB, 4.11 ERA
Contract: 1 year, $6.15 million
Even if Kris Bubic is no longer pitching at an All-Star level, it bears noting that the average against him has dropped from .226 to .200 from 2025 to 2026. It's encouraging that the changeup still plays against righties, holding them to a .114 average. It's a good safety blanket between a back-end rotation job and a bullpen role.
20. LHP Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants
2026 Stats: 13 GS, 67.2 IP, 59 H (13 HR), 63 K, 36 BB, 4.12 ERA
Contract: Year 5 of 5-year, $115 million
Five seasons have passed since Robbie Ray won the AL Cy Young Award in 2021, and the years have mostly been unkind to him. He's an average-ish pitcher, and one with a 5.35 ERA away from Oracle Park this year. Yet he's at least a back-end innings eater, and a team might get more by fiddling with his pitch mix.
19. RHP Garrett Whitlock, Boston Red Sox
2026 Stats: 20 G, 19.2 IP, 16 H (2 HR), 25 K, 6 BB, 3.20 ERA
Contract: Year 4 of 4-year, $19.25 million (2027, 2028 team options)
Injuries have too often been part of Garrett Whitlock's story over the last four seasons, yet he still has a career 139 ERA+ and a 4.5 K/BB ratio. His versatility is another mark in his favor, as he can work as either a late-inning setup man or a multi-inning fireman as needed.
Nos. 18-16
5 of 10
18. RHP Rico Garcia, Baltimore Orioles
2026 Stats: 29 G, 27.0 IP, 8 H (2 HR), 31 K, 9 BB, 1.00 ERA
Contract: 1 year, $900,000 (free agent after 2030)
Assuming Baltimore is willing to sell high on the 32-year-old, Rico Garcia is the hidden gem of this summer's market. He's faced 96 batters and allowed only those eight hits, and not one of his four pitches (yes, four) is being hit for better than a .125 average. This is a guy every contender should be in on.
17. 1B Christian Walker, Houston Astros
2026 Stats: 66 G, 273 PA, 16 HR, .248 AVG, .319 OBP, .496 SLG
Contract: Year 2 of 3-year, $60 million
After a dismal season in 2025, what we're seeing from Christian Walker in 2026 is more indicative of what he brings to the table offensively. He has a decent chance of topping 30 homers for the third time in his career. Trading for him nonetheless means taking a risk, as he's older, well-paid and not the defender he used to be.
16. RHP Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox
2026 Stats: 11 GS, 56.1 IP, 54 H (6 HR), 44 K, 16 BB, 3.20 ERA
Contract: Year 3 of 3-year, $75 million (2027 team option)
Sonny Gray has had years when he's poked his head up and pitched like a Cy Young Award contender. He isn't in the middle of one of those, but he's still throwing strikes and keeping the ball on the ground. He's a solid No. 3 in a playoff rotation. Plus, $20 million of his $31 million salary is on the St. Louis Cardinals.
Nos. 15-13
6 of 10
15. RHP Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals
2026 Stats: 13 GS, 76.0 IP, 79 H (7 HR), 64 K, 24 BB, 3.91 ERA
Contract: Year 2 of 2-year, $46 million (2027 team option)
Seth Lugo has tumbled a bit since finishing as the runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award in 2024, specifically in the sense that he gives up a lot more hits. Yet he remains one of few pitchers who are good for six innings more often than not, and he's surely no worse than a Game 3 starter on a contender.
14. RHP Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals
2026 Stats: 13 GS, 81.0 IP, 66 H (9 HR), 67 K, 26 BB, 3.44 ERA
Contract: Year 2 of 3-year, $51 million (2028 team option)
Michael Wacha's late-career resurgence is ongoing, as he now has a 3.46 ERA since bottoming out with a 5.05 ERA in 2021. His changeup has held hitters to an average in the .100s in four of the last five seasons, and it's typically good against righties and lefties. As with Lugo, he's no worse than a Game 3 starter.
13. LF Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
2026 Stats: 58 G, 259 PA, 10 HR, .212 AVG, .274 OBP, .394 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $7.7 million (free agent after 2028)
Jarren Duran's career has been all over the place on either side of a 9.0-rWAR breakout in 2024, and this season obviously hasn't been easy. He does have a .782 OPS and nine homers since the end of April, though, and he's playing a good left field. He's a top-of-the-lineup sparkplug for contenders who need one.
Nos. 12-10
7 of 10
12. 2B Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants
2026 Stats: 63 G, 277 PA, 2 HR, .323 AVG, .359 OBP, .431 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $12 million
Yes, Luis Arraez is back to hitting over .300. But the real revelation of his 2026 season has been his defense, which is suddenly the exact opposite of a liability (9 OAA) at second base. He's a guy who can complete a lineup and strengthen a defense, which could make him the difference in a World Series run.
11. LHP Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
2026 Stats: 20 G, 19.2 IP, 9 H (0 HR), 26 K, 9 BB, 0.46 ERA
Contract: 1 year, $13.3 million (2027 mutual option)
These days, Aroldis Chapman "only" averages 96.6 mph and rarely hits 100 mph on the fastball. Yet he's still as good as he's ever been, mostly owing to how he's learned to show hitters different looks and actually hit spots. Save for a handful of teams, he's a better closer than most contenders have.
10. LHP Josh Hader, Houston Astros
2026 Stats: 2 G, 2.0 IP, 0 H, 4 K, 1 BB, 0.00 ERA
Contract: Year 3 of 5-year, $95 million
Josh Hader only recently returned from biceps tendinitis, and that (plus his 32 years) could make teams wary of trading for him while he has two full years left on his contract. When he's on, though, he's still one of the five best relievers in MLB. His 41.1 strikeout percentage is the highest in league history.
Nos. 9-7
8 of 10
9. 1B Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox
2026 Stats: 61 G, 253 PA, 13 HR, .298 AVG, .391 OBP, .540 SLG
Contract: Year 4 of 5-year, $87.5 million (2028 team option)
Need a right-handed hitter? If so, it's hard to do better than Willson Contreras on the summer market. He's working on a career-best .921 OPS and tracking toward a new career high for home runs as well. And this is not a Fenway Park mirage, as his .920 OPS on the road shows his bat is traveling just fine.
8. LHP Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels
2026 Stats: 13 GS, 74.0 IP, 60 H (6 HR), 88 K, 24 BB, 4.26 ERA
Contract: 1-year, $2.63 million (free agent after 2028)
Reid Detmers' ERA isn't much to look at, but he can blame that on a league-low 62.8 strand percentage. What matters is that the strikeouts are there and that they're legit, as pitch modeling stats like both his stuff and his command. He thus presents a chance to buy low on a controllable top-of-the-rotation type.
7. RHP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
2026 Stats: 14 GS, 89.1 IP, 91 H (10 HR), 64 K, 22 BB, 4.33 ERA
Contract: Year 5 of 5-year, $56 million (2027 team option)
Sandy Alcantara has had four starts in which he's allowed at least six runs, so his ERA is both misleading and indicative that he's not the same guy who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2022. But a contender should still want him for the innings, and his electric stuff offers a lot to work with in terms of recapturing his former excellence.
Nos. 6-4
9 of 10
6. RHP Freddy Peralta, New York Mets
2026 Stats: 13 GS, 72.0 IP, 65 H (9 HR), 74 K, 30 BB, 3.63 ERA
Contract: 1 year, $8 million
This depends on whether the Mets think they can salvage 2026, yet those odds left their favor a while ago. And despite some glitches, Peralta is still a top-of-the-rotation starter with two All-Star selections to his name. Prospective suitors will just need to monitor his fastball velocity, which is down about 1 mph from 2025.
5. RHP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
2026 Stats: 14 GS, 76.1 IP, 60 H (7 HR), 84 K, 16 BB, 3.07 ERA
Contract: 1 year, $6.2 million (2027 mutual option)
The Twins have no reasons to not listen on Joe Ryan, but interested parties had better be prepared to offer multiple top-100 prospects. Even if he's more of a No. 2 than a No. 1, we're still talking a 1.010 WHIP and a 5.5 K/BB ratio over the last three seasons. And no matter what, he won't be a free agent until after 2027.
4. SS Jeremy Peña, Houston Astros
2026 Stats: 29 G, 127 PA, 3 HR, .296 AVG, .354 OBP, .435 SLG
Contract: 1-year, $9.48 million (free agent after 2027)
The Astros almost certainly aren't moving Yordan Alvarez, but the lack of traction in contract talks with Jeremy Peña could make him a different story. He's an elite bat-to-ball hitter with decent power and speed and a very good glove, so he'd be an upgrade at shortstop for a lot of teams.
Nos. 3-1
10 of 10
3. SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
2026 Stats: 65 G, 279 PA, 14 HR, .286 AVG, .380 OBP, .534 SLG
Contract: 1 year, $4.2 million (free agent after 2028)
The Nationals have made such rapid progress in 2026 that CJ Abrams is less of a sure goner and more of a "make us an offer" type. Teams should want to do so, though. He was a reliable 3-WAR shortstop even before developing a steady power stroke and better walk rate.
2. CF Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
2026 Stats: 55 G, 248 PA, 18 HR, .257 AVG, .319 OBP, .549 SLG
Contract: Year 5 of 7-year, $100 million
Say hello to the best right-handed bat potentially on the market. Buxton's injury history precedes him, and there's no hiding his 32 years. Yet he's averaged 43 home runs per 162 games during the 2020s, and he remains as good an athlete now as he was in his 20s.
1. LHP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
2026 Stats: 7 GS, 43.1 IP, 35 H (2 HR), 45 K, 6 BB, 2.70 ERA
Contract: 1-year, $32 million
Is anyone interested in a lightly used back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner? We can presume the answer is yes, even if Tarik Skubal's salary and recent elbow surgery do add to the risk side of the equation. He's simply the best pitcher in baseball, with a 2.41 ERA, 0.910 WHIP and 7.0 K/BB ratio to show for his last 69 starts.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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