Dream MLB Trades for Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies & More Revealed by Jeff Passan Before Deadline

ESPN insider Jeff Passan played the role of armchair general manager for multiple playoff contenders a little less than a month out from the MLB trade deadline.

Based on "areas of need and optimal solutions," Passan identified both realistic and dream trade scenarios for the likes of the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and others.

For the Bronx Bombers, Passan pitched Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman as an ideal addition to solve their problems behind the plate. He noted that "Goodman would require a haul," however, because he's eligible for arbitration across the next three seasons.

The Dodgers are the two-time reigning World Series champions and own MLB's best record (61-33). They don't need a lot of help right now, so they were linked with Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

"Other teams need Skubal more, certainly, but that's of little concern to the Dodgers," Passan wrote. "They've positioned themselves, as much through their astute dealings as their financial advantages, to bully the game. So while they could nibble around the margins like they did at the last deadline, the opportunity to not only add Skubal to their rotation but prevent the chance of having to face him in a crucial game is tantalizing."

Imagine the reaction from baseball fans if L.A. added Skubal to a rotation that already includes Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell when everyone is healthy.

Pitching help was also the priority for the Cubs. Tigers right-hander Casey Mize was the realistic option, with the Boston Red Sox's Sonny Gray pegged as the more ambitious target.

Gray has a $30 million mutual option for 2027, which will be his age-37 season, and Boston is six games under .500 (42-48). At the very least, it would seem the Red Sox will be amenable to fair offers.

Passan pointed to a persistent sore spot for Philly: the outfield. Rolling out Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Justin Crawford is suboptimal for a team with the Phillies' ambitions.

The longtime insider proposed the San Francisco Giants' Jung Hoo Lee or Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton as a solution.

Buxton has remained committed to Minnesota, and the Twins are just a half-game out of the final wild-card spot in the American League. Should their fortunes take a turn, maybe he'll be ready to explore new opportunities.

Among the more intriguing ideas floated by Passan was the Texas Rangers moving for Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing and the Braves landing Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams.

Rushing is only in his second MLB season, and his performance at the plate is encouraging. He's slugging .494 with 10 home runs in 58 games. When Will Smith is signed through 2033, though, L.A. may eventually see the 25-year-old as a valuable trade asset rather than a long-term building block.

On Abrams, Passan conceded the two-time All-Star getting sent to a division rival "is the unlikeliest" of his imagined trades. If it were to happen, Atlanta would make a massive upgrade at shortstop.