The MLB trade deadline is quickly approaching, and teams around baseball have needs. So how can they fill those needs? More specifically, which players might offer a solution?
Here are seven players who could help a contender in a deal before the July 31 trade deadline.
Andrew Heaney, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Breaking news: The Pirates trading a starting pitcher!
But before you get too excited, the Pirates’ starter most likely to be on the move is left-hander Andrew Heaney. Heaney, who signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh this past winter, has been one of the more underrated starters in baseball in 2025. Through 14 starts, the 34-year-old right hander has a 3.33 ERA, and he has managed to stay steady throughout the first half, despite a Pirates offense that hasn’t given him much support.
Heaney is an established veteran arm who has pitched in pennant races before, and as a left-hander, he would be a strong addition to slot into the middle-to-end of a rotation looking to add some quality depth.
Potential landing spots: Dodgers, Cubs, Tigers
Emmanuel Clase, RP, Cleveland Guardians
Last season, there wasn’t a better reliever in baseball than Emmanuel Clase. He was so good that he finished third in AL Cy Young voting, a sign of his sheer dominance during the regular season. But Clase struggled in last year’s postseason, and thus far, those struggles have carried into 2025. The three-time All-Star is 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 32 appearances this season.
That said, Clase appears to be putting his struggles behind him. Over his past 15 outings, he has a 1.88 ERA with seven saves and has looked more like the two-time AL Reliever of the Year. If Clase’s struggles are indeed in the past, this could be the perfect time for a contender to woo the Guardians into trading their longtime closer.
Potential landing spots: Yankees, Phillies, Cubs
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Ryan O’Hearn, DH/1B, Baltimore Orioles
Ever since Ryan O’Hearn arrived in Baltimore, he has continuously improved. And this season, he’s going to be making his first All-Star appearance. But in a year when the Orioles have disappointed and are unlikely to make a run to the postseason, O’Hearn might be their most valuable trade asset right now.
The Baltimore designated hitter has a .306/.385/.493 slash line, with nine doubles and 10 home runs. O’Hearn, 31, will be a free agent at the end of the season, making him the type of rental who could help push an already strong team over the top.
Potential landing spots: Red Sox, Mariners, Mets, Giants
Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Right-handed power is hard to come by in baseball these days, which makes Eugenio Suárez a highly coveted player. The D-backs’ third baseman has been one of the game’s top power threats this season, batting .234 with 21 home runs and 58 RBI. And that’s nothing new: Since the 2019 season, he ranks sixth in MLB in homers, behind only Aaron Judge, Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Ohtani and Matt Olson.
Suárez, who will be a free agent at season’s end, is also considered one of the game’s top personalities and has the ability to bring a clubhouse together — an added benefit for any contender.
Potential landing spots: Tigers, Yankees
Chris Sale, SP, Atlanta Braves
Coming off his first season in Atlanta, which saw him win the 2024 NL Cy Young Award, Sale has followed with another strong performance for the Braves. Now 36, Sale is 4-4 with a 2.79 ERA and tied for fifth in MLB in strikeouts. And while the eight-time All-Star is likely in the twilight of his career, he’s proving every fifth day that he’s still one of the best starters in baseball.
If the Braves were open to trading him, Sale would easily be the best starting pitcher available this summer, and every contender would and should be in on him. But that’s a big if. Atlanta has not looked like a contender this year, and in a division with the Mets and the Phillies, turning toward the future might be the team’s smartest option. But president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos is always aggressive — selling isn’t something he’s known to do.
Potential landing spots: Cubs, Dodgers, Padres, Tigers
Ryan Helsley, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
Since being named the Cardinals’ closer in 2022, Ryan Helsley has been the definition of a shutdown closer. The right-hander’s 93 saves since then are sixth-most among relievers over that span.
But as with Clase, there have been some struggles for the Cardinals’ closer this season. Helsley is 3-0 with a 3.96 ERA over, but he has a 5.14 ERA over his past seven outings. A big reason for that is hitters’ success against his fastball. The pitch is typically unhittable, but batters are hitting .400 against Helsley’s four-seamer this season.
There might be some cause for concern with the Cardinals’ closer, but Helsley isn’t the first reliever to go through struggles. And with his track record being what it is, a contender might well believe that a few tweaks and a change of scenery could be just what Helsley needs.
Potential landing spots: Yankees, Phillies, Tigers
Josh Naylor, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Josh Naylor has been one of the more underrated first baseman in baseball for a while, but in his first season in the desert, he has been able to shine. Naylor, 27, is hitting .302 in 70 games for the D-backs this season, with 9 homers, 9 stolen bases and 17 doubles. The Arizona first baseman knows how to be a run producer, and he has also proven that he’s a complete hitter, currently tied for 11th in MLB in hits.
The D-backs have not had much luck on the injury front this season, with multiple pitchers going down for the season, including starters Corbin Burnes and Jordan Montgomery and reliever Justin Martinez. If Arizona decides to sell, moving Naylor, who is also a free agent at the end of the season, feels like the right decision.
Potential landing spots: Red Sox, Mets, Giants
