Top Trade Deadline Targets for MLB Contenders

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With Major League Baseball’s trade deadline quickly approaching in under two weeks, many impactful players will be shipped off by non-contending teams for prospects.

The league’s top teams will try to acquire talent to fuel their playoff push. With the increase in playoff teams from 10 to 12, many teams still believe they have a shot to make a playoff run.

These are the players that could be on the move within the next two weeks.

Boston Red Sox LHP – Aroldis Chapman

The Red Sox entered the All-Star break having won their last 10 games and currently sit at 53-45, 3 games behind the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays. They hold the second wild card spot, and selling off their All-Star closer may seem asinine, right? Well, Chapman is posting his best career season with an ERA of 1.18 with 17 saves in 38 IP. Chapman’s age, expiring contract, and extreme seller’s market mean the Red Sox would miss an opportunity if they chose to hold onto the flamethrowing lefty.

Best fits – Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies

Arizona Diamondbacks RHP – Zac Gallen

The Diamondbacks have endured a very rough 2025 season, which has seen injuries to half of their rotation, including Corbin Burnes, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Jordan Montgomery. Arizona sits at 47-50, 11 games behind the Dodgers and 5.5 games out of a Wild Card Spot. Gallen is a free agent this offseason, but his value has never been lower. Amid the worst season of his career, Gallen has posted an ERA of 5.40 with 110 K in 115 IP. His FIP of 4.79 suggests his luck has been poor, but it is still a far cry from his third-place Cy-Young finish in 2023. Regardless, the Diamondbacks should trade him for whatever a team is willing to give up in hopes he can regain his old form.

Best fits – Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees

Arizona Diamondbacks 3B – Eugenio Suarez

Many Diamondback players will find themselves on this list due to the underwhelming first half they endured. Suarez has been the story in Arizona, posting his best start to a season since 2019. Through 95 games, Suarez has slashed .250/.320/.569 with 31 home runs, which already surpassed his total of 30 in 158 games last season.

Best fits – Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers

Kansas City Royals RHP – Seth Lugo

Lugo is the most unlikely player on this list to be dealt, but the Royals would be foolish not to listen to offers. The trade acquisition of Adam Frazier says they will be buyers, but a guy like Lugo would bring back a huge package from a team needing a frontline starter. Lugo has pitched to a 2.67 ERA with 88 K and a 1.079 WHIP in 101 IP. Lugo also has a player option of $15 million for 2026, so he could potentially be under contract from next season as well. The Royals currently sit at 47-50, 12 games behind the Detroit Tigers and 4.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the third Wild Card spot.

Best fits – New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros

Baltimore Orioles DH – Ryan O’Hearn

Unlike Lugo, O’Hearn is the most likely on this list to be traded. The Orioles are in the midst of a very disappointing season, sitting at 43-52, last place in the AL East. The Orioles will look to rebound in 2026, so trading an expiring contract with value for assets would be the smartest thing Baltimore and GM Mike Elias could do. O’Hearn was voted in as the American League’s starting DH in the All-Star game, and deservedly so, slashing .286/.382/.458 with an OPS+ of 139. One of the best bats available at the deadline, O’Hearn is guaranteed to be dealt.

Best fits – Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants

Chicago White Sox OF – Luis Robert Jr.

The White Sox should have traded Robert after the 2023 season, but held onto him too long, and now his value has floored. Robert has been underperforming this season, slashing .190/.275/.325 with an OPS+ at a measly 67. Robert has shown flashes with his 2020-23 seasons all being above average, but it has now been a 179-game sample where Robert has played very poorly. The right-handed hitting outfielder has a $2o million club option for 2026 and 2027, so he has control, but $20 million for a 67 OPS+ is a steep price tag. What the White Sox get back for Robert will be interesting, but perhaps a change of scenery would be good for the 27-year-old.

Best fits – Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies

Tampa Bay Rays RHP – Pete Fairbanks

Fairbanks is having another stellar season at the back end of the Rays’ bullpen; however, his time in Tampa is coming to an end. He has posted a 2.75 ERA in 36 IP with 15 saves and a WHIP of 1.139. A club option of $7 million for 2026 gives any team trading for him an extra year of service, so the return Tampa will receive will be hefty. Although the Rays are still very much in the playoff hunt at 50-47, they will still sell off expiring contracts to bring in young talent like they always do.

Best fits – Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies

Atlanta Braves DH – Marcell Ozuna

The Braves are very surprisingly sitting at a record of 42-53, 12.5 games out of first place in the NL East. Pitcher injuries have derailed their season, and now they look to retool for the 2026 season. Ozuna has slashed .239/.366/.396 with an OPS+ of 115. At this point in his career, he is strictly a DH, but a team looking for a rental bat could strike gold in acquiring Ozuna.

Best fits – Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres

About Post Author

Michael Bodzenta

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, I fell in love with sports from a young age. Whether I was playing them throughout high school or in the yard with my friends, I knew I had found something I loved. Watching them was also a main part of my childhood, as I could name almost every player on all three Cleveland sports teams. Talking about sports is something I can do for hours, so as I got older, I quickly realized that I knew what I wanted to do. I started writing about sports and talking about sports in high school. It was fun and easy for me. My dream goal would be to become baseball analyst, covering breaking news and other stories in the sport. I've written numerous articles about sports including the Browns and the Guardians. I currently write for Kent Wired, where I expanded my knowledge to cover Health and Fitness. I have experience with Adobe Photoshop, Premier, and Audition. I work as the social media manager/representative for the Kent State Club Baseball team creating graphics mostly on Instagram and some on Twitter (X) . The goal of this is to get more engagement for the team, create awareness, and raise money. I also currently coach for a 17u travel baseball organization (Midwest Stars) out of Hudson, Ohio. Through this I have been able to continue my love for the game, give back to the community, and strengthen my leadership qualities. My passion for sports especially baseball remains unquestioned and I strive to continue to report on something I love.

mbodzent@kent.edu

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