Buyer's Remorse: Big Mistakes MLB Contenders Must Avoid at the Trade Deadline

The July 31 MLB non-waiver trade deadline is barreling down like an avalanche, or at least a cavalcade of rumor-laced tweets.

As we await the final flurry of activity, let's examine six potential instances of buyer's remorse that contenders should avoid.

In some cases, that means recklessly dealing MiLB chips; in others, it means failing to strike while the trade iron is hot.

Either way, it's about regret—a wasted emotion in sports and life.

New York Yankees: Trading Their Top Prospects

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Infielder Gleyber Torres.

The New York Yankees sit just two games out of first place in the American League East at 51-46. The "rebuild" is blossoming ahead of schedule.

At the same time, general manager Brian Cashman should resist the temptation to tear down his carefully constructed farm system and go all-in.

Yes, New York already consummated a swap with the Chicago White Sox for relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle and infielder/designated hitter Todd Frazier. 

The club held on to its most prized young assets, however, including infielder Gleyber Torres and outfielder Clint Frazier. 

Barring a deal that positively blows off his pinstripes, Cashman should take the long view and keep it that way, present needs be damned.

Boston Red Sox: Not Acquiring a Third Baseman

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Third baseman Rafael Devers.

Speaking of touted prospects, the NL East-leading Boston Red Sox called up third baseman Rafael Devers on Monday, per ESPN.com's Scott Lauber. 

It makes sense. Third base has been a black hole for Boston, and Devers was hitting .311 with a .955 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A.

Then again, the kid is 20 years old and is about to fill a key role for a win-now club in the thick of a playoff scrum. He could rise to the occasion.

"The consensus is that he's a baseball player, loves to play the game," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said, per Lauber. "He's ready to handle it."

In case he doesn't, the Sox should acquire a contingency plan, such as the San Francisco Giants' Eduardo Nunez, whose .305 average and 17 stolen bases would slot nicely into Boston's offensive attack.

Calling up Devers now is a commendably bold decision. Doing it without a backup plan is closer to reckless.

Milwaukee Brewers: Raiding the Farm System to Win Now

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Outfielder Lewis Brinson.

The Milwaukee Brewers had an easy script coming into 2017. They were a rebuilding team in a top-heavy division dominated by the defending World Series champions.

With late July upon us, the Brew Crew are surprise contenders. They've led the Chicago Cubs for much of the season, and they boast a half-game lead in the NL Central entering play Tuesday.

At the same time, Milwaukee has dropped seven of its last 10. Realistically, this club is a year or more away from legitimate contention.

That doesn't mean the Brewers should fold, but they shouldn't mortgage a farm system Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter ranked No. 4 in the game to add a front-line starter or relief ace. 

Better to see how far they can ride this Cinderella run and save their glass slippers.

Colorado Rockies: Trading Brendan Rodgers

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The Colorado Rockies are squarely in the race for one of the NL's wild-card spots, but they could use help on the pitching staff, especially in the bullpen.

For a franchise that has never won a division title and, aside from an NL pennant in 2007, has never made much October noise, there's a sense of urgency.

Enough for the brass to deal top prospect Brendan Rodgers? Hopefully not.

The third overall pick in 2015, Rodgers is hitting .349 with a .996 OPS between High-A and Double-A and looks like a superstar in the offing. 

He'd fetch a handsome return on the trade market, but Colorado would be wise to gaze ahead and stash him as a middle infield stud for 2018 and beyond.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Failing to Acquire an Ace

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Left-hander Clayton Kershaw.

Staying in the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers own the best record in the Senior Circuit and are on their way to a fifth consecutive division title.

During that span, L.A. has never advanced past the National League Championship Series. What's more, the Dodgers haven't won a pennant or Commissioner's Trophy since 1988.

If that wasn't incentive enough, Los Angeles lost ace and franchise foundation Clayton Kershaw to a back injury that could cost him four to six weeks, per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal. 

The Dodgers can't stand pat.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported they had "strong interest" in Texas Rangers righty Yu Darvish. They should likewise be putting loafer to Goodyear on the Oakland Athletics' Sonny Gray, the Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander and all other potentially available No. 1-caliber arms.

They're baseball's biggest spenders, and a 29-year-and-counting title drought is no joke.

Texas Rangers: Holding on to Yu Darvish

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If the Dodgers don't open the prospect vault for Yu Darvish, someone will.

The 30-year-old Japanese import is easily the most intriguing pitcher on the market with his 3.32 career ERA and 11 strikeouts per nine innings, provided the Rangers make him available.

They absolutely should as they flounder on the fringe of the AL playoff picture at 48-51 and Darvish heads toward fee agency. Bleacher Report's Danny Knobler convincingly made the case. 

Yes, Darvish would be a rental. But with so many teams looking for starting pitching, Texas could net a gaudy return.

In the immortal words of Kenny Rogers, "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em..."

All statistics and standings current as of Monday and courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball-Reference.