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Tier Rankings For Every Starting Pitcher Available at 2026 MLB Trade Deadline
The MLB trade deadline is now just a couple of days away, and one thing the market has plenty of is starting pitching.
There's unfortunately only one Tarik Skubal to go around, though. So for the sake of helping teams out with their backup plans and simply keeping the public informed, we've separated all the available starters into tiers.
The tiers we've come up with should be self-explanatory, but the general theme will come through in the analysis of each player anyway. Along the way, we'll assess likely asking prices for each tier and potential landing spots for each player.
Let's start, naturally, with the big guy.
All stats are current through play on Wednesday, July 29.
Tier 1: The One and Only Tarik Skubal
1 of 7
Age: 29
2026 Stats: 16 GS, 96.2 IP, 74 H (10 HR), 116 K, 14 BB, 2.79 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $32 million
Look, nobody should need much of an introduction here. He's Tarik Skubal. Back-to-back Cy Young Award winner and American League ERA champion. Thrower of strikes. Misser of bats. So on and so on.
A few weeks ago, there was the question of whether his midseason elbow surgery would slow him down at all. And it hasn't. He has a 2.87 ERA in nine starts since his return to Detroit's rotation, with 71 strikeouts against eight walks in 53.1 innings.
True, the fastball is about 1 mph slower in 2026 than it was in 2025. Yet he's still in the 94th percentile with his K%, so there's no actual problem here.
Likely Asking Price
On paper, Tarik Skubal's pending free agency and pricey salary don't do his trade value any favors. But in reality, the Tigers know what they have.
According to Jason Beck of MLB.com, the Tigers will "look for young pitching in pretty much any deal." And they can probably insist on one or two deal-sweeteners in the form of top-100 prospects.
Best Landing Spots: Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays
Other Landing Spots: Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies
Tier 2: The Best Ones Who Aren't Tarik Skubal
2 of 7
Likely Asking Price: Multiple top-100 prospects, including a top-25 type
RHP Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
Age: 26
2026 Stats: 4 GS, 21.2 IP, 22 H (3 HR), 29 K, 7 BB, 7.06 ERA
Contract Status: Year 4 of 6-year, $53 million, with 2029 club option
Greene hasn't made much of a dent on the 2026 season, but what matters is that he ran a 160 ERA+ across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. And even if his fastball is down a tick this year, we're still talking an average of 98.4 mph.
Especially given the affordability of his contract, the Reds are absolutely not going to sell low on Greene. That means he can't be had unless a contender is going to value him as a No. 1 starter and, accordingly, take a pretty big risk.
Landing Spots: Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox
RHP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
Age: 30
2026 Stats: 22 GS, 120.1 IP, 109 H (17 HR), 135 K, 25 BB, 3.52 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $6.2 million, with 2027 mutual option
The Twins are only 1.5 games off the hunt in the AL wild-card race, and the message coming from the organization is that buying at the deadline is in order. But they turn away teams interested in Ryan, least of all now that Byron Buxton is back on the injured list.
Ryan is probably more of a No. 2 than a No. 1, but a postseason contender can view him as a Curt Schilling to any Randy Johnson they might already have in house. And no matter what happens with that mutual option, he isn't a free agent until after 2027.
Landing Spots: Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays
Tier 3: The Ones Who Might Be Aces
3 of 7
Likely Asking Price: At least one top-100 prospect.
RHP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
Age: 30
2026 Stats: 23 GS, 150.2 IP, 143 H (17 HR), 115 K, 39 BB, 3.82 ERA
Contract Status: Year 5 of 5-year, $56 million, with 2027 club option
Alcantara still throws about as hard as he did when he won the NL Cy Young Award in 2022. But he wasn't a strikeout pitcher even then, and now he's just plain hittable.
That said, innings and ground balls are still big selling points in the righty's favor. He's no worse than a Game 3 starter, and you can imagine the right adjustments turning him back into a Game 1 starter.
Landing Spots: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays
RHP Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers
Age: 29
2026 Stats: 16 GS, 86.2 IP, 67 H (5 HR), 85 K, 19 BB, 2.70 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $6.15 million
The word of warning on Mize this year is that he has a 2.36 ERA at home, with four of the five home runs he's allowed coming on the road. So, he's still not quite the No. 1 who was promised when he went No. 1 in the 2018 draft.
And yet, he's found a real comfort zone throwing strikes with a pitch mix that has benefited from more sliders this year. If he's a Game 2 starter, that's A-OK.
Landing Spots: Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers
RHP Freddy Peralta, New York Mets
Age: 30
2026 Stats: 22 GS, 113.2 IP, 120 H (17 HR), 113 K, 48 BB, 4.99 ERA
Contract Status: Year 7 of 7-year, $30 million
Peralta was an All-Star who placed fifth in the NL Cy Young voting just last year. It just hasn't come together like that for him in 2026, and he's indeed been oddly prone to bomb starts.
At least the fastball is up about 1 mph relative to April. A team could also reason that he's underusing his slider, which has a 48.7 Whiff% this year. Whether it's that or something else, he could be a Game 2 starter in the right hands.
Landing Spots: Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers
Tier 4: The Ones Who Offer A Lot to Work With
4 of 7
Likely Asking Price: Either established MLB talent or MLB-ready talent.
LHP Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels
Age: 27
2026 Stats: 22 GS, 125.0 IP, 99 H (15 HR), 145 K, 38 BB, 4.03 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $2.63 million, free agent after 2028
For Detmers, success in the majors has only ever been intermittent. But there have always been flashes of goodness, and the bright one this year concerns a career-best ratio of strikeouts to walks.
Between that and a slider and curveball that are both out pitches, another team might be able to get more out of Detmers than the Angels have.
Landing Spots: Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers
LHP Foster Griffin, Washington Nationals
Age: 31
2026 Stats: 21 GS, 124.0 IP, 100 H (17 HR), 113 K, 28 BB, 2.76 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $5.5 million
As he was an All-Star immediately after returning from three seasons overseas, Griffin is already one of the more pleasant surprises of the 2026 season. And he doesn't need to be worthy of a playoff rotation.
And yet, one does wonder if the perfect Goldilocks ratio for his seven-pitch mix is still waiting to be discovered. It would just have to happen quick, as he'll be a free agent this winter.
Landing Spots: Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays
RHP Emerson Hancock, Seattle Mariners
Age: 27
2026 Stats: 20 GS, 110.1 IP, 88 H (14 HR), 102 K, 27 BB, 3.26 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $793,300, free agent after 2030
Hancock is simply a completely different pitcher this year. It's the lower arm angle. And the velocity. And the emphasis on a sweeper. And even 20 starts in, hitters have yet to adjust.
This might be as good as Hancock can get, but maybe not. Another team might tell him to stop messing around with a sinker that's getting hit for a .307 average, because he has three other primary pitches that all have averages in the .100s.
Landing Spots: San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins
RHP José Soriano, Los Angeles Angels
Age: 27
2026 Stats: 22 GS, 123.0 IP, 97 H (12 HR), 127 K, 57 BB, 3.29 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $2.9 million, free agent after 2028
It's been a minute since Soriano was unhittable through his first six starts of the season. He has a 4.64 ERA ever since, and his 57 walks loom as the most of any pitcher this year.
Still, nobody ever complained about a pitcher with a ground-ball rate and a whiff rate that is each in the 89th percentile. There's a playoff-caliber starter here, and maybe more if he ever throws more strikes.
Landing Spots: Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves
Tier 5: The Ones Who Are Still Worth It
5 of 7
Likely Asking Price: An overpay in which the receiving team takes on salary and gives up MLB or MLB-ready talent.
RHP Clay Holmes, New York Mets
Age: 33
2026 Stats: 9 GS, 52.2 IP, 40 H (3 HR), 45 K, 18 BB, 2.39 ERA
Contract Status: Year 2 of 2-year, $26 million, with 2027 player option
Holmes hasn't pitched since breaking his leg on a comeback in May, but there's been a ton of buzz on him anyway. Teams must have liked what they saw from him in 2025 and early in 2026.
Well, why not? Holmes can lose the strike zone easily, but his bowling-ball sinker and generally nasty stuff are good for ground balls and swings outside the strike zone. He's a playoff-caliber starter when healthy.
Landing Spots: Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers
RHP Michael King, San Diego Padres
Age: 31
2026 Stats: 22 GS, 125.1 IP, 97 H (13 HR), 109 K, 50 BB, 3.38 ERA
Contract Status: Year 1 of 1-year, $17 million, with 2027-28 player options
King was injured for a chunk of last season, and this year has seen his K% fall into the 39th percentile. So, it's best not to expect him to pitch like the guy who was a legit No. 1-caliber starter back in 2024.
King does have a 2.79 ERA to show for July, however, and that is partially owed to some extra zip on the sinker. So if a team sees his arrow as pointing up, that's fair.
Landing Spots: Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies
RHP Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals
Age: 36
2026 Stats: 22 GS, 123.2 IP, 129 H (15 HR), 96 K, 40 BB, 4.22 ERA
Contract Status: Year 1 of 2-year, $46 million, with 2028 club option
Two years ago, Lugo was the runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award. He's been more like a mid-rotation starter ever since, indeed posting a nearly exactly average ERA+ of 98.
But if nothing else, his ability to give six innings every time out has the potential to save any especially weary rotations out there. And with veterans like this, you never want to rule out the possibility of extra gumption for October.
Landing Spots: Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves
LHP Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants
Age: 34
2026 Stats: 20 GS, 116.1 IP, 97 H (15 HR), 101 K, 56 BB, 3.16 ERA
Contract Status: Year 5 of 5-year, $115 million
If you're worried about the Oracle Park mirage, well, it is there a little bit with Ray this year. He has a 2.22 ERA in San Francisco, compared to a 4.35 ERA everywhere else.
You nonetheless have to hand it to Ray for the nice post-Tommy John run he's had with the Giants. And he's another guy whose arrow is pointed up, with his last 10 starts yielding a 1.71 ERA and only two home runs allowed.
Landing Spots: Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox
RHP Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals
Age: 35
2026 Stats: 21 GS, 132.1 IP, 117 H (16 HR), 104 K, 38 BB, 3.60 ERA
Contract Status: Year 2 of 3-year, $51 million, with 2028 club option
Five years ago, Wacha seemed in danger of flaming out of MLB. He's been one of the league's most dependable starters ever since, overall posting a 119 ERA+ and notably facing an AL-high 538 batters this year.
Buyers should beware that Wacha is not a Game 1 starter, and that success like he's had will be hard to sustain as he gets deeper into his mid-30s. But if all a team wants is a workhorse to use as a Game 2 or Game 3 starter, he's the guy.
Landing Spots: Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers
Tier 6: The Ones with Underwater Contracts
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Likely Asking Price: Somebody will have to eat some salary, but buyers willing to do that *and* give up a mid-tier prospect will have an edge.
RHP Shane Bieber, Toronto Blue Jays
Age: 31
2026 Stats: 7 GS, 31.1 IP, 33 H (7 HR), 22 K, 18 BB, 5.74 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $16 million
Bieber has been homer-prone ever since he returned from Tommy John surgery last year, and now he's not missing bats or throwing strikes.
He's a dice-roll guy, plain and simple. He fits best with a contender that doesn't need an ace, but which does badly need support for the ace it already has.
Landing Spots: Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies
RHP Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners
Age: 33
2026 Stats: 17 GS, 99.2 IP, 107 H (16 HR), 86 K, 32 BB, 5.06 ERA
Contract Status: Year 4 of 5-year, $108 million, with 2028 vesting option
Even as he was clearly declining, Castillo was still a functional starter in 2024 and 2025. That's no longer the case in 2026, as he's been getting hit both often and hard.
However, Castillo's arm is still made of enough iron to give five good innings every time out. He also looked good in his piggyback outings with Bryce Miller, gaining about 1 mph on his fastball in relief.
Landing Spots: Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres
RHP Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers
Age: 30
2026 Stats: 19 GS, 86.1 IP, 80 H (11 HR), 102 K, 42 BB, 4.59 ERA
Contract Status: Year 2 of 2-year, $35 million
Flaherty has two problems these days: he isn't especially good at throwing strikes, and both his hard-hit rate and his ground-ball rate are in the bottom 10 percent among all pitches.
His saving grace is that his stuff still misses bats, as seen in both his strikeouts and his 64th percentile whiff rate. It's something to work with, even if it means converting him to relief.
Landing Spots: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres
RHP Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
Age: 35
2026 Stats: 22 GS, 121.2 IP, 119 H (15 HR), 123 K, 35 BB, 4.51 ERA
Contract Status: Year 5 of 5-year, $110 million
Gausman has probably been a little unlucky this year, but the red flags are real. He's lost over 1 mph off his fastball from his first two years with Toronto, and even his splitter isn't an automatic out anymore.
The experience is nonetheless hard to ignore. And even more so than with the other guys on this slide, you wonder if the adrenaline of October could awaken the Gausman of yesteryear.
Landing Spots: Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs
Tier 7: The Ones You Remember from Better Times
7 of 7
Likely Asking Price: Probably one or more low-level prospects.
RHP Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers
Age: 32
2026 Stats: 21 GS, 100.0 IP, 99 H (13 HR), 91 K, 42 BB, 5.13 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $1.5 million
Buehler getting the final out of the 2024 World Series wasn't even two whole years ago. Yet things were bumpy even before then, and they haven't really smoothed out. He's a depth piece for needy rotations at this point.
Landing Spots: Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks
LHP Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds
Age: 28
2026 Stats: 12 GS, 62.2 IP, 65 H (9 HR), 50 K, 27 BB, 4.60 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $4.73 million, free agent after 2027
Lodolo was legitimately good last year, posting a 133 ERA+ over 156.2 innings. But that's an outlier relative to the rest of his time in the majors. What he is now is basically what Trevor Rogers was when Baltimore acquired him in 2024.
Landing Spots: Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins
RHP Dustin May, St. Louis Cardinals
Age: 28
2026 Stats: 21 GS, 109.0 IP, 105 H (7 HR), 106 K, 35 BB, 4.38 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $12.5 million, with 2027 mutual option
Because his stuff is still so eminently GIF-able, it remains fun to watch May pitch. Yet he's never been much of a swing-and-miss guy, and he's gotten hit so soundly this year that his hard-hit rate is in the fifth percentile.
Landing Spots: Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros
LHP Trevor Rogers, Baltimore Orioles
Age: 28
2026 Stats: 20 GS, 109.2 IP, 108 H (10 HR), 89 K, 32 BB, 4.27 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $6.2 million
Speaking of Rogers, so much for the guy who posted a sub-2.00 ERA in 18 starts last year. Given his splits against lefties (.535 OPS) compared to righties (.760 OPS), the best spot for him might be in a contender's bullpen.
Landing Spots: Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros
RHP Brady Singer, Cincinnati Reds
Age: 29
2026 Stats: 21 GS, 107.2 IP, 117 H (21 HR), 91 K, 36 BB, 4.35 ERA
Contract Status: 1 year, $12.75 million
Singer is a pitch-to-contact type who shouldn't have to put up with Great American Ball Park, yet he also has a 2.73 ERA there compared to a 5.89 ERA on the road. So, he may not have much to offer beyond innings.
Landing Spots: Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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