Major League Baseball’s July 31 trade deadline is just a week away and while the biggest swap of the season may have taken place in June, contenders will be posturing to land impact players for the stretch run.
There won’t be a bigger name than Rafael Devers dealt before the deadline, but a handful of All-Stars and even a Cy Young winner could be traded before the buzzer rings at 6 p.m. ET on the final day of July.
Baseball’s expanded postseason has blurred the definition of “contender,” with only six teams more than 10 games out of a postseason spot and others waiting to see how they fare in the days to come before deciding what to do.
Here’s a look at some of the players whose names have been floated as trade candidates:
Eugenio Suárez – Diamondbacks
Arizona’s slugging third baseman has 55 home runs and 137 RBIs in his last 161 games and is on pace to become the first player traded during a 50-homer season since Mark McGwire in 1996.
The Yankees and Cubs have holes at third base and Suárez is an obvious fit, but would either team part with higher-tier prospects for a rental third baseman? Now locked in a battle with the Brewers atop the NL Central, Chicago has gotten nothing from the hot corner this year. The club’s third basemen have combined for just three homers, 28 RBIs and a .562 OPS, all ranking worst in baseball.
Keep an eye on Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor, another big(ger) bat that could be on the market.
Various Baltimore Orioles
Following a maddeningly-inactive offseason, the Orioles’ 2025 season couldn’t be going much worse. But Baltimore has a slew of valuable trade chips who could yield some high-minors talent to reinforce Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and company.
Need a starting pitcher? The Orioles could trade three – Charlie Morton, Zach Eflin and Tomoyuki Sugano. Before a clunker in his last outing, the 41-year-old Morton had turned his season around with a 2.76 ERA in eight starts after returning to the rotation.
Want bullpen help? Baltimore should make veteran relievers Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez available and may entertain offers for former All-Star closer Felix Bautista.
Orioles outfielders Cedric Mullins (13 HR, 14 SB) and Ramon Laureano (.855 OPS in 233 AB) could also be impact additions.
Sandy Alcantara – Marlins
The 2022 NL Cy Young winner has had a rough go in his first season back from Tommy John surgery but has shown flashes of his old self, pitching seven innings (no earned runs) on July 23, perhaps his final home start for the Marlins.
But Miami would be selling low on its longtime ace, and it would probably make more sense to wait until the offseason to consider offers for the 29-year-old right-hander who is under team control through 2027.
Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax – Twins
The Twins right-handers are probably the top relievers whose names have surfaced in trade talks, but neither becomes a free agent until after the 2027 season, meaning a suitor would potentially be investing in 2½ years of service.
Jax, 30, has a 4.09 ERA but is racking up 13.9 strikeouts per nine innings, while Duran, 27, has 15 saves with a 1.94 ERA. Minnesota has some tough calculus to do on whether or not to deal the foundational pieces of its bullpen right now.
Ryan McMahon – Rockies
An All-Star last season, the 30-year-old is getting hot at the right time (for his trade value) with three homers, seven RBIs and a 1.140 OPS in his past seven games. The Rockies would surely love to unload McMahon, but he’s due $32 million over the next two seasons and they may need to eat a chunk of that salary to make a deal happen.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB trade deadline rumors: Top targets; Eugenio Suárez to Yankees?
