With the July 31 MLB trade deadline less than two weeks away, it’s time for an update to our top 50 trade candidates ranking — starting with a new No. 1 player.
Major League Baseball’s trade market is ever evolving, and to keep you updated, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan have put together a list of potential trade candidates that will be updated leading up to the deadline depending on players’ performance — and that of the teams that could be involved in deals.
Some of the players on the list are unlikely to be traded but at least are being discussed in potential deals. Other names might not be on the list now but could be added over the next 10 days should their team’s fortunes change. Either way, this will be the most up-to-date accounting of where MLB’s trade market stands.
Note: Players ranked by value for their new team if traded, not likelihood of being dealt
Chance of trade: 90%
Suárez is in a contract year and playing like one of the best players in baseball. Only Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge have more home runs than his 33. Despite turning 34 years old before the trade deadline, Suárez is sitting near career highs in isolated power and wRC+ (which measures overall offensive performance). His fielding metrics have declined in recent years, but he’s still an acceptable defender at third base. Even if the Diamondbacks don’t offload all their free agents to be, Suárez could be moved because they’ve got Jordan Lawlar raking in Triple-A and primed to take over at third.
Best fits: New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants
Chance of trade: 20%
An All-Star the past two years and Gold Glove winner in all three of his previous big league seasons, Kwan is a do-everything left fielder with elite bat-to-ball skills and two years of club control after 2025. Cleveland doesn’t want to deal him, but with a dearth of available bats, the Guardians at the very least will listen to see if teams are willing to blow them away with offers.
Best fits: Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 25%
Duran had a huge breakout season in 2024, posting the seventh-best fWAR in the majors at 6.8. He overperformed his underlying metrics, though — i.e., had some lucky outcomes — and those metrics have regressed a bit this year. Now, he’s underperforming them — he has been unlucky — so his true talent is somewhere south of that star-level figure but better than the roughly 2 WAR (commensurate with a solid regular) he’s on pace for this season. With Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, the Red Sox have the outfield depth to consider moving Duran for controllable, top-end pitching.
Best fits: San Diego, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco, Philadelphia
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Chance of trade: 50%
Alcantara was arguably the best pitcher in baseball in 2022, winning the NL Cy Young unanimously. He was more solid than spectacular in 2023 and missed 2024 with Tommy John surgery. He has been tinkering this season to try to get his pitch mix and locations right in hopes of regaining his former glory. His 7.14 ERA is unsightly, and with the Marlins still valuing him as a top starter, they could hold onto him until the winter, when teams such as the Baltimore Orioles would be more inclined to acquire him and the final two years of his contract.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Boston, Toronto, Arizona, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego, Baltimore
5. Seth Lugo, SP, Kansas City Royals
Chance of trade: 80%
Lugo has posted mid-3.00s or lower ERAs for five seasons despite having below-average fastball velocity and good-not-great strikeout rates. His ability to strand runners and limit hard contact comes in part due to his nine different pitches. With a Nathan Eovaldi-type contract awaiting Lugo in free agency, Kansas City could opt to move him, especially if Cole Ragans‘ injured shoulder doesn’t improve.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston, Toronto, San Diego, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 40%
Duran is one of the best relievers in the sport, thanks to his nasty stuff, headlined by a fastball that averages 100.2 mph and a splinker that sits 97.5 mph. He has two more years of team control after this season, so he’d demand a big trade package.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas Rangers
Chance of trade: 20%
Clase was nearly unhittable last season, but his numbers have regressed this year. He has issued more walks and gotten fewer ground balls while allowing more damage on his cutter that averages 99 mph — in part due to more center-cut locations. Under contract for less than $30 million through 2028, he would bring a big return to Cleveland.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
8. Kris Bubic, SP, Kansas City Royals
Chance of trade: 15%
With Lugo set to hit free agency and Ragans still on the shelf, the Royals would need to be bowled over to consider moving their All-Star left-hander. At the same time, with the pitching market thin, they understand that the sort of haul Bubic could bring is at least worth engaging on. With a 2.48 ERA and another year of club control, his value is sky-high, and he’s a legitimate solution for teams seeking a front-of-the-rotation starter.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, Toronto, Houston
9. Cade Smith, RP, Cleveland Guardians
Chance of trade: 20%
Smith has been arguably the best reliever in baseball since the beginning of the 2024 season, and with more than 13 strikeouts per nine innings, he could be the solution to many teams’ late-inning woes. With four more years of control, he would also be a prohibitively expensive trade target for most teams, making a deal difficult to come by.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
10. Griffin Jax, RP, Minnesota Twins
Chance of trade: 40%
Despite a 3.92 ERA that says otherwise, Jax has been one of the top relievers in baseball this season — the best by xFIP and toward the top in other, similar metrics. Only Fernando Cruz and Mason Miller have better strikeout rates than Jax’s 14.37 per nine, and his sweeper-heavy arsenal induces as much swing-and-miss as anyone.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Texas
Chance of trade: 50%
Keller is not only in the midst of a career-best season with a 3.48 ERA, but he’s under contract for another three years at a very reasonable $55.7 million. The Pirates need bats, and moving Keller is the likeliest way to fill that void. Teams could be scared off slightly by the quality of contact against him — his average exit velocity and hard-hit rate have spiked while his strikeouts are down — but in an environment with little pitching, Keller is nevertheless desirable.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, Toronto, Houston
12. Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 60%
Gallen was excellent for the past three seasons but now, in a contract year, is posting career-worst numbers in almost every category. His stuff looks similar, but he’s allowing much more damage when hitters make contact. That said, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is back to normal in his past five starts, at 29-to-5, despite a 6.04 ERA in that span. Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said the team does not plan to deal away players at the deadline, but if Arizona doesn’t make a run, it could reap a huge return with all its impending free agents.
Best fits: Toronto, San Diego, Houston, Chicago Cubs
13. Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 70%
Kelly doesn’t have big raw stuff, having posted the second-lowest average fastball velocity (92.0) among pitchers with 115 innings pitched this season. His changeup is his best pitch by a wide margin, and he gets by with location and off-speed stuff. He was a stalwart in the Diamondbacks’ run to the 2023 World Series, striking out 28 in 24 innings with a 2.25 ERA.
Best fits: Toronto, Boston, Houston, Chicago Cubs
14. Josh Naylor, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
Chance of trade: 70%
Naylor is batting around .300 this season as a lefty-hitting first baseman in a contract year on pace for about 20 homers. Naylor faces left-handed pitchers more often than the next player on the list but hasn’t been particularly good at it. His on-base skills and lack of strikeouts make him an especially attractive acquisition candidate for postseason contenders.
Best fits: Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, Texas
15. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B, Baltimore Orioles
Chance of trade: 85%
O’Hearn is having an out-of-nowhere career year, with an OPS+ of 135 (and with the underlying metrics to support that) along with being on pace for a career high in homers. He doesn’t face lefty pitchers much, and his splits suggest that he shouldn’t.
Best fits: Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, Texas
Chance of trade: 70%
Ozuna is a stone-cold DH, playing two games in the field in 2023 as his last regular-season experience defensively. Ozuna is also in a contract year, but his power numbers are down a notch from his standout .302 average and 39-homer performance last season. His on-base percentage remains among the highest of potential trade candidates. If anyone is moving from Atlanta, he’s the likeliest candidate, with free agency beckoning.
Best fits: San Diego, Seattle, Texas, Detroit, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 25%
For teams seeking controllable starting pitching, the 24-year-old Bradley is a tremendous upside play. He’s got good fastball velocity (96 mph), a tremendous cutter and a splitter that, when it’s on, can be devastating. The Rays have room to move at least one starting pitcher, and teams have identified Bradley as the likeliest of those with team control — he doesn’t reach free agency until after the 2029 season — to go.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, New York Mets, Toronto, Houston, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 30%
All the potential the Marlins have seen in the 27-year-old right-hander is finally coming into focus this season. While his 97 mph fastball gets hitters’ attention, it’s Cabrera’s curveball and slider doing most of the work. And with a changeup that in years past has been his best pitch, Cabrera will be pricey because of the full arsenal and three more years of club control.
Best fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston, New York Mets, Toronto, Houston, Los Angeles Dodgers
Chance of trade: 15%
The Mountain is back from Tommy John surgery and looking like his former self. Since May 31, he has been almost untouchable: 16 innings, 3 hits, 8 walks and 27 strikeouts with a 0.56 ERA. He has another two years before free agency, and with the Orioles planning to contend between now and then, landing him will take more than most teams are willing to give.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Detroit, Texas
20. David Bednar, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Chance of trade: 60%
In a market replete with relief options, the 30-year-old Bednar brings high-end performance without quite the price tag of his peers. His swing-and-miss stuff has been elite since his return from Triple-A, and he has more than salvaged his trade value: Over his past 18 outings, Bednar has struck out 23, walked four and posted a 0.00 ERA.
Best fits: Detroit, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs
Chance of trade: 70%
Mullins is a 30-year-old center fielder in a contract year who contributes in a number of ways, but his power numbers are trending up this season and are at their best since 2021.
Best fits: Philadelphia, Houston, New York Mets
Chance of trade: 40%
McMahon is on pace to keep his four-year 20-homer streak alive, with above-average power, patience and third-base defense, but more of a middling contact rate and baserunning value. He’ll have two years and $32 million remaining on his contract after this season.
Best fits: New York Yankees, Detroit, Milwaukee, Seattle
Chance of trade: 35%
Fairbanks raised his slot a bit this year and now his 97.1 mph fastball has more cutting action while his slurvy slider has more depth, with both pitches playing a notch better than they did last season. He has a club option for 2026 that, with escalators, should wind up around the $10 million range. Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes and bullpen injuries have cut into the likelihood Fairbanks moves.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Arizona, Texas
Chance of trade: 50%
Robert has been extremely unlucky with ball-in-play results this season, but that has begun to turn around recently. He remains a strong defender and baserunner, with a career-high 24 steals already. But the .201/.289/.342 line is unsightly, and his trade value has cratered over the past two seasons. He has a pair of $20 million-a-year club options that an acquiring team would be hesitant to exercise absent a turnaround. Finding a match with a team willing to give up more for Robert’s upside than his productivity could be challenging.
Best fits: San Diego, Philadelphia, New York Mets, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 45%
Ward comes with an additional year of team control after this season and his underlying numbers suggest he is still largely the same hitter as last year, when he posted a .246 average and 25 homers.
Best fits: San Diego, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco
Chance of trade: 30%
Arenado is around a career best in strikeout rate and he’s still an above-average defender, but his power and patience are trending down to around the worst of his career. He’s a solid starter but no longer a star and the team taking him on a deal would have to pay him like one. Potentially complicating any deal: a full no-trade clause.
Best fits: New York Yankees, Detroit, Milwaukee, Seattle
27. Ryan Helsley, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
Chance of trade: 60%
Helsley had the fourth-best WAR among relievers last season and is in a contract year now but has been notably worse this season. His stuff and location are similar, but the main difference is that his fastball is getting hit hard — with one byproduct being his spiking home run rate.
Best fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, New York Yankees, Detroit, New York Mets
Chance of trade: 50%
Garcia averaged 30 homers in 2021-24, but he has fallen off since his 2023 career year. It’s worth noting that per xwOBA, he has been the 20th-most unlucky hitter in the big leagues this season, and he has another year of team control, so some teams could see an opportunity.
Best fits: Philadelphia, Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco
29. Reid Detmers, RP, Los Angeles Angels
Chance of trade: 15%
The No. 10 pick in 2020 transitioned to relief this season and has found some success like other highly drafted college lefties including A.J. Puk, Andrew Miller and Drew Pomeranz. He comes with three more years of control after this season and his velo is up 1.5 mph in the new role, so this might be where he fits long-term, and he could fetch a hefty return. Some teams still see Detmers as a starter.
Best fits: New York Mets, Arizona, Baltimore, St. Louis, Minnesota, New York Yankees
Chance of trade: 25%
Severino tunnels his fastball/sinker/sweeper combo well to limit damage but because he has a middling strikeout rate, his upside is limited to being a No. 4 or 5 starter. Another mitigating factor: a contract for $47 million over the next two seasons.
Best fits: Toronto, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore, New York Mets
Nos. 31-50
31. Zack Littell, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
32. Adrian Houser, SP, Chicago White Sox
33. Tyler Anderson, SP, Los Angeles Angels
34. Jesus Sanchez, RF, Miami Marlins
35. Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
36. Dennis Santana, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
37. Kyle Finnegan, RP, Washington Nationals
38. Chris Martin, RP, Texas Rangers
39. Willi Castro, UT, Minnesota Twins
40. Nick Martinez, SP/RP, Cincinnati Reds
41. Zach Eflin, SP, Baltimore Orioles
42. Michael Soroka, SP, Washington Nationals
43. Phil Maton, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
44. Harrison Bader, CF, Minnesota Twins
45. Emilio Pagan, RP, Cincinnati Reds
46. Andrew Heaney, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
47. Yoan Moncada, 3B, Los Angeles Angels
48. Jake Bird, RP, Colorado Rockies
49. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
50. Charlie Morton, SP, Baltimore Orioles
