Will Tarik Skubal be wearing a different uniform down the stretch? One month before MLB\u2019s Aug. 3 trade deadline, that remains the prevailing question.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Detroit Tigers entered July with a 37-49 record, but in an uninspiring American League, in which only five teams had winning records through June, even the worst teams might think they still have a chance to contend. Throughout the entire league, in fact, only four teams entered July more than five games out of a wild-card spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The landscape can change quickly. Take the National League East, for example. The Phillies were so bad to start the season, sporting a 9-19 record on the morning of April 28 and already 10.5 games back of the Braves, that they fired manager Rob Thomson. Now, the Phillies, with their dismal start a distant memory, are within striking distance of Atlanta.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And Philadelphia isn’t even the only dramatic turnaround story in the division.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On June 1, the Marlins were 27-34, 13.5 games behind the Braves. Exactly one month later, propelled by the best June in baseball, the Marlins woke up on July 1 with a 46-40 record, holding a wild-card spot and only 4.5 games back in the NL East.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are plenty of other similar stories around the league. The White Sox began the year 9-15 and are now a surprise playoff contender. The Brewers were in last place in the NL Central on May 4 and now hold a solid lead in the division.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So maybe the Tigers will hold on to Skubal and hope for a second-half surge, though it still seems more likely that he gets dealt. It\u2019s hard to know with any certainty which teams will buy and which will sell weeks from now, but we at least have a better idea halfway through the season which direction they are trending.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Two-time Cy Young Award winner and pending free agent Tarik Skubal is the focal point of the MLB trade deadline. (Jim McIsaac\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n
A month ahead of the deadline, here is where all 30 teams stand:<\/p>\n
Strategy: Buy Arizona is one of the many teams hovering around .500 that could go in any direction. I\u2019d lean toward the D-backs buying. You could see a path toward them being the second-best team in the NL West and a wild-card club. But starters Michael Soroka and Ryne Nelson are on the shelf, Corbin Burnes is a late-season wild card returning from Tommy John surgery and relievers Justin Martinez and AJ Puk are still working their way back from injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n The biggest surprise, though, is an offense that\u2019s in the bottom five in OPS. If general manager Mike Hazen decides to go for it, he\u2019ll need both pitching and offensive help. \u2014 Rowan Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Light Buy Did you know the A\u2019s have a worse run differential than the Angels? Yes, the pitching is the main problem, as it will continue to be when playing home games at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. Their starters and relievers both rank in the bottom five in MLB in ERA, and if the team does decide to add, it would have to be on the pitching side.\u00a0<\/p>\n But the A’s aren’t hitting to their abilities, either \u2014 outfielder Lawrence Butler and shortstop Jacob Wilson have been below-league average hitters. It\u2019s hard to envision the A’s doing anything of note this year if that remains the case, especially after learning Brent Rooker is now out<\/a> for the rest of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n As it stands now, though, I can see them adding some depth to the rotation and bullpen at a low cost and seeing what happens in a division that remains up for grabs.\u00a0\u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Jos\u00e9 Soriano has found the spotlight after a breakout early season for the Angels. His modest salary and limited service time could make him an attractive target for mid-tier teams looking for pitching help. (John McCoy\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Strategy: Buy Who can the Braves feel confident giving the ball to after Chris Sale starts the first game of a playoff series? Lefty Mart\u00edn Perez has pitched well, right-hander Hurston Waldrep is back, and righty Spencer Schwellenbach is a second-half possibility. It\u2019s a precarious situation with Spencer Strider injured and Bryce Elder falling back down to earth.\u00a0<\/p>\n Atlanta could use another high-end starter to capitalize on their bounce-back season. In addition, infielder Ha-Seong Kim has been struggling at the plate since coming off the injured list, so shortstop could be a spot the Braves might choose to upgrade as well. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy (Apparently?) President of baseball operations Mike Elias proclaimed over the weekend that, despite the team\u2019s losing record, Baltimore would be going for it at the deadline. Even though winning the division title is all but inconceivable, the Orioles are still within striking distance of the postseason, sitting a few games behind the final American League wild-card spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n Skubal is going to be the dream acquisition for a lot of teams on this list, but Baltimore’s farm system has fallen from No. 1 in 2024 to No. 13 this season, and the O’s lack the trade capital required for the top starter on the market.\u00a0<\/p>\n The more realistic acquisition for Elias is a starting pitcher like Sonny Gray, Freddy Peralta or Joe Ryan. In the bullpen, it\u2019s hard to see Baltimore being aggressive enough to go for eight-time All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, whereas acquiring Antonio Senzatela from Colorado seems more realistic. \u2014 Deesha Thosar<\/p>\n Veteran Sonny Gray, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Yankees on June 28, could be a boost for Baltimore’s rotation. (Maddie Malhotra\/Boston Red Sox\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Strategy: Sell After sweeping the Yankees at Fenway Park in late June, the Red Sox are feeling good. But they would be remiss to allow that to change their trade-deadline strategy. As it is, they\u2019re holding onto what should be the treasure of the trade deadline in closer Aroldis Chapman. The veteran southpaw even garnered down-ballot AL MVP votes last year, and at age 38, he has extended that success in Boston into this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n Right-hander Sonny Gray is another attractive trade chip with playoff contenders perpetually searching for rotation upgrades. If Boston enters full sell-off mode, then first baseman Willson Contreras, outfielder Jaren Duran and right-hander Brayan Bello should be on the list. The Red Sox entered the season with the 14th-best farm system in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. Their best strategy is to build a contender for 2027. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy The Cubs have a decent starting rotation \u2026 on the injured list. Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon, Justin Steele and Cade Horton are all on the shelf. Ben Brown, who provided a huge boost to the injured group, is sidelined now, too. Shota Imanaga has an ERA over 4.00. Matthew Boyd, who\u2019s back from injury now, has an ERA over 5.00.\u00a0<\/p>\n The offense hasn\u2019t met expectations, but the Cubs can at least envision that side of the ball getting better. On the pitching side, this team needs rotation help to have any chance of dethroning the Brewers in the NL Central or making a deep playoff run. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy The White Sox are one of only a handful of AL teams with a winning record, making them clear buyers at the trade deadline for the first time in a handful of years. GM Chris Getz has indicated that the South Siders will be aggressive, but not at the expense of parting ways with their top prospects.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pitching will be their primary focus, but going after someone like Webb \u2014 who\u2019s under contract with the Giants for $23 million in 2027 and $24 million in 2028 \u2014 may prove too costly for the Sox. He’s a bargain for his durable production, having led MLB in innings two of the past three years, but likely too much of a splash for Getz.<\/p>\n Detmers, who had a 3.88 ERA through June and is under team control through 2028, is the cheaper acquisition that also fits into Chicago\u2019s long-term plans. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Angels lefty Reid Detmers could be a valuable addition to several teams, including the upstart White Sox, who have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021. (Katelyn Mulcahy\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Strategy: Sell, for now The Reds are still in that grey area between buying and selling. Maybe if they start trending in a more promising direction with shortstop Elly De La Cruz back and ace starter Hunter Greene not far away from a return, the strategy will change. If that\u2019s the case, they could try to bolster a bottom-five MLB bullpen.\u00a0<\/p>\n Or, they could add to an outfield that has gotten almost no offensive production outside of outfielder JJ Bleday. Right now, though, they might be better suited to deal Bleday and\/or their many rentals \u2014 first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, starter Brady Singer, catcher Tyler Stephenson and lefties Brock Burke and Caleb Ferguson \u2014 and try again with a healthier pitching staff in 2027. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy The Guardians currently hold the second AL wild-card spot \u2026 with a negative run differential. They rank near the bottom of the majors in too many hitting categories, including batting average, runs scored, OPS and home runs. Cleveland should be addressing its offensive weaknesses, but the front office\u2019s budget-conscious ways mean the team is unlikely to give up meaningful prospect capital for short-term rentals. The Guardians’ deep farm system is ranked sixth, per MLB Pipeline, and they\u2019ve won three of the past four AL Central titles while leaning on their top prospects.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019d be nice to see Cleveland going after someone like Walker, who’s closing in on 200 career homers and could help solve the team\u2019s slugging problem. But the Guards are more likely to trade for Moniak, who\u2019s making just $4 million this season with one year of team control remaining. His slugging would be a boon for the lineup. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Sell New leadership has already helped turn this team around from historically bad to just normal bad, but this is still one of the worst teams in baseball and in need of a major shake-up. For that reason, no one should be off limits.\u00a0<\/p>\n Goodman will be their likely All-Star rep, and he\u2019s more than deserving as he ranks among MLB home run leaders. Maybe he ends up part of Colorado’s next contender years down the road, but there are plenty of teams that could use that kind of pop behind the plate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s Goodman, outfielder Mickey Moniak or reliever Antonio Senzatela, there are players who could help contenders here, and the Rockies need to listen. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Sell In a year when no AL team is out of it, the Tigers can stop pretending there\u2019s a magical playoff run in their future this season \u2014 even with a healthy Skubal back from elbow surgery to lead the rotation. Detroit\u2019s smartest strategy was always to trade the two-time Cy Young winner and net a huge package in return. On the cusp of free agency, Skubal is one of the most sought-after trade chips we\u2019ve seen in years.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Tigers also have valuable trade pieces beyond him. Right-handers Casey Mize and Kyle Finnegan both flash ERAs below 3.00. Mize is a free agent after this season, and Finnegan is under team control through next season. In order to avoid a full rebuild after trading Skubal, Detroit should target young, controllable starters and near-MLB-ready hitters. Depending on the returns, a successful trade deadline could accelerate the Tigers\u2019 2027 window. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy General manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada are in the last year of their deals. The Astros are coming off their first season missing the playoffs in eight years. Closer Josh Hader and starter Hunter Brown have returned to a pitching staff that needed the reinforcements, and the Astros are playing much better after a dreadful start. Designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is still in his prime, healthy and playing at an MVP level, and they\u2019re playing in a winnable division.<\/p>\n All this to say, despite the Astros’ losing record, I expect them to push in, perhaps even aggressively. They could use more pitching, especially rotation depth, but with Brown back from a shoulder strain, the outfield might be the bigger need. Their outfielders have the lowest on-base percentage and batting average in the American League, and the lineup is extremely right-handed heavy. A lefty outfielder would make a lot of sense to balance the offense. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Sell These 2026 Royals seem so far from the success they enjoyed just two years ago. Kansas City is in the basement of the entire AL, well behind a wild-card spot. Even though this is a season to forget, the team’s core is anchored by star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. The Royals must prioritize building around Witt (and infielder Maikel Garcia).\u00a0<\/p>\n Wacha is putting together a strong 2026 campaign, ranking among MLB leaders in quality starts, and has been firmly placed in trade discussions. Beyond Wacha, lefty Kris Bubic and right-hander Seth Lugo round out a rotation that ranks second in MLB with 38 quality starts this season, giving Kansas City multiple pitching chips to shop to contenders. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Journeyman Michael Wacha\u00a0has pitched in the postseason five times in his 14-year career and could help a team get there in 2026. (Michael Hirschuber\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Strategy: Sell There\u2019s no question what the Angels\u00a0should\u00a0do at the trade deadline. The only real question: Can new interim general manager John Mozeliak convince owner Arte Moreno to finally rebuild at the deadline? The Angels’ decision to push their chips in at the 2023 trade deadline, rather than get a haul of prospects in Shohei Ohtani\u2019s final season with the club, looms large three years later.\u00a0<\/p>\n This year, they have enough interesting pieces \u2014 starting pitchers Detmers and Jos\u00e9 Soriano and outfielder Jo Adell, among them \u2014 that they could get meaningful pieces to bolster a farm system that needs help. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy \u2014 if they feel like it The Dodgers spend big every offseason hoping that they won\u2019t have to use the trade deadline to address their needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last year, they didn\u2019t make any big moves at the deadline and still won their second straight World Series title after addressing their bullpen issues by shifting starters into relief roles in October. They did some light buying (right-hander Brock Stewart, outfielder Alex Call) and even some light selling, sending pitcher Dustin May to Boston for minor-league outfielders James Tibbs III and Zack Ehrhard, who are both now raking at Triple-A and among their extraordinary crop of top outfield prospects.\u00a0<\/p>\n This year, the Dodgers have even fewer needs than they did last year, and they would still be the favorites to three-peat if they did nothing. As a result, it wouldn\u2019t surprise me to see something similar happen again where they try to add depth on the margins while also bringing in more prospects at positions where they\u2019re light in the minors. Then again \u2026<\/p>\n They have one of the top farm systems in baseball, which gives them the flexibility to do basically anything they want. They saw last year the benefit of having more starters than they need, eventually shifting them to the bullpen for the playoff run. So, even if they don\u2019t need Skubal, they\u2019re arguably the best equipped to land him. I\u2019d at least expect them to add a late-inning right-handed reliever for insurance, in case closer Edwin Diaz doesn\u2019t come back from elbow surgery looking like himself. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy \u2014 for now As long as the Marlins are right in the thick of the playoff hunt \u2014\u00a0they\u2019re currently flirting with the final NL wild-card spot \u2014 it\u2019s a surprising reversal of preseason expectations for the Fightin\u2019 Fish. How they perform in July will be pivotal to their final decision to trade or hold onto their highest-ceiling arms in starter Sandy Alc\u00e1ntara and closer Pete Fairbanks.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Marlins currently have the worst third-base OPS in MLB. Paredes doesn’t have a great glove at the hot corner, but the Marlins shouldn\u2019t mind sacrificing defense for his impact bat. Otherwise, the Mariners are clearly about to move on from Crawford, and the veteran could be a solid fit in Miami. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy The Brewers\u2019 incredible ability to develop talent has led to three straight division titles. At some point, though, they need higher-end talent if they want to go deeper in the playoffs. The difference in star power was evident in the NLCS last year, when they were swept by the Dodgers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, the quick ascensions of starters Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison should have the Brewers dreaming bigger. They could get an impact bat to lift the ceiling on the left side of the infield or the outfield. Heck, they could add Tarik Skubal and have one of the most overpowering trios of arms in any playoff rotation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whatever direction the Brewers want to go, it\u2019s time to do more than shop at the margins. Go use those high-level prospects and make a splash. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy \u2014 for now The calendar will force the Twins to make a decision on what direction they want to go, and they can afford to wait for now while proceeding as if they will be buyers. That\u2019s a shocking statement in itself after their mass exodus at last year\u2019s deadline, selling off almost everyone except veteran outfielder Byron Buxton and starter Joe Ryan.\u00a0<\/p>\n Minnesota is hanging around the mediocre AL wild-card race and within striking distance of the top spot in the weak AL Central. Adding a mid-tier reliever like Senzatela wouldn\u2019t be a major splash, but it would help a Twins bullpen that owns the worst ERA in MLB.\u00a0<\/p>\n If the Twins end up sliding out of contention by the All-Star break, then Ryan is their best trade chip, followed by reliever Taylor Rogers, catcher Ryan Jeffers, outfielder Trevor Larnach and DH Josh Bell. Buxton, who has a full no-trade clause, is unlikely to be moved.\u00a0 \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Sell Alas, the Mets are finally getting healthier, which is what president of baseball operations David Stearns has been waiting for before making a final call on his trade-deadline strategy.<\/p>\n The Mets are trending toward being sellers, and the only question is how far they\u2019ll go. Peralta will enter free agency after this season, as will left-handed relievers A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley. All three arms will be sought after and are expected to move. Huascar Brazoban could join the list.\u00a0<\/p>\n Beyond that, player value has cratered for guys like first baseman Mark Vientos, second baseman Brett Baty, outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (injured), and first baseman Jorge Polanco (injured).\u00a0<\/p>\n Even as the Mets look ahead to 2027, can they really count on Robert and Polanco to be healthy for a full season? They need starting pitching depth first and foremost, and they need to solve the fact that they have MLB\u2019s worst fWAR at second base and the second-worst fWAR at first base a year after letting slugger Pete Alonso walk to Baltimore. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy Notice how starting pitching isn\u2019t one of the Yankees\u2019 needs, and yet Skubal is still a dream acquisition for the rotation? The combination of Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodon and Max Fried, when he returns from an elbow bone bruise, is a lethal playoff rotation \u2014 and trading for Skubal would make the Yanks the favorites to go to the World Series.<\/p>\n New York\u2019s real need is production at catcher, where the club is one of the worst in the league. But it\u2019s highly unlikely that GM Brian Cashman will disrupt his pitching staff by bringing in a replacement for Austin Wells despite his anemic offense.\u00a0<\/p>\n Elsewhere, the Yankees could use a power arm or two to complement closer David Bednar. Ultimately, it would be nice to see them go after Paredes, who\u2019s the best third baseman available this summer, to boost their offense at the hot corner. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n At age 27, Isaac Paredes has already been traded four times. He could be on the move again this season. (Houston Astros\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Strategy: Buy All eyes are on legendary dealmaker Dave Dombrowski to make a major splash \u2026 and acquiring Skubal would make for a bone-chilling Phillies rotation. Cristopher S\u00e1nchez, Zack Wheeler, Jes\u00fas Luzardo and Skubal would be indisputably the best unit in the major leagues. If anyone is willing to part ways with top prospects and pay the steep price for Skubal, it\u2019s Dombrowski.\u00a0<\/p>\n That being said, what the Phillies really need is a corner outfielder after Adolis Garcia, who wasn\u2019t very good when he was on the field, suffered a season-ending torn lat muscle injury on June 10. There aren’t too many right-handed corner outfielders available, but Ward would fit into the Phillies’ lineup nicely, even if he\u2019s not the most exciting deadline acquisition. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy Why shouldn\u2019t the Bucs be buyers for a change? They have plenty of work to do, but they\u2019re legitimately in the NL wild-card mix. The bullpen could use a legitimate closer, which would push southpaw Gregory Soto into a setup role.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chapman, an eight-time All-Star, is likely to cost an arm and a leg, but the Pirates have the third-best farm system in the majors, per MLB Pipeline. They certainly have the prospect capital necessary to land him. And if the Marlins make Fairbanks available, that\u2019s a solid second option for the Pirates, presuming they feel confident that they can smooth out the closer\u2019s volatile season. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman pitched for the Pirates in 2024, so he and the team know each other well. (Danielle Parhizkaran\/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) <\/p>\n Strategy: Buy The Padres could go any number of ways, and that\u2019s before even accounting for the fact that they have the wild-card executive of the deadline, A.J. Preller, pulling the strings. The fact that they have a winning record when so much has gone wrong to this point is rather remarkable.\u00a0<\/p>\n San Diego’s rotation ranks 24th in ERA, but the bigger issue is probably an offense that ranks last in the National League in every slash-line category. Maybe the Padres’ stars finally start producing in the second half. Other than Gavin Sheets, though, they don\u2019t have another left-handed hitter with at least 100 plate appearances who has hit even league average. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Sell Well, this hasn\u2019t gone according to plan. But for all that has gone wrong \u2014 and, boy, has it been a disaster both on and off the field \u2014 there are some real success stories amid the chaos in San Francisco. Arr\u00e1ez is providing value both at the plate and in the field with a dramatic defensive turnaround at second base. Outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and utility man Casey Schmitt are having career years at the plate. Perhaps best of all, 21-year-old rookie first baseman Bryce Eldridge is providing more optimism for the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to think of the years ahead. Rentals like Arr\u00e1ez and veteran starter Robbie Ray are obvious sell candidates. And if the Giants can get off the long-term Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers or Willy Adames contracts to add prospects, they have to listen.\u00a0<\/p>\n A Chapman deal would be the easiest to envision among the high-priced trio. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Three-time batting champion Luis Arr\u00e1ez is having a bounce-back season in the field, playing strong defense at second base for the Giants. (Matt Dirksen\/Chicago Cubs\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Strategy: Buy Getting third baseman Brendan Donovan back from injury should help, but a team OPS under .700 isn\u2019t what the doctor ordered. Seattle\u2019s right-handed hitters in particular have struggled, ranking the league’s worst in slugging percentage and OPS. Meanwhile on the mound, closer Andr\u00e9s Mu\u00f1oz has looked much better over the past couple of weeks, but he has an ERA close to 5.00. In addition, late-inning reliever Matt Brash is injured.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mostly, the Mariners have to hope their stars play better down the stretch. But adding a right-handed bat or high-leverage reliever would make sense. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy AND Sell? The Cardinals are in a weird spot, having a much better first half than anyone expected at the start of GM Chaim Bloom\u2019s rebuild. I can\u2019t imagine he would mortgage the future to go all-in with this team, but I could see a scenario where he does a little buying and a little selling to try to pave the path forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019ll be interesting to see how the Cardinals handle rentals Dustin May, who’s had a stretch of solid starts, and reliever JoJo Romero. Closer Riley O\u2019Brien could draw a lot of interest, too, though he\u2019s under control through 2030.\u00a0<\/p>\n If the Cardinals want to contend this year, they\u2019ll need to add \u2014 not subtract \u2014 from their pitching staff. Keep an eye on third base, as well, where the Cardinals have had little production. It wouldn\u2019t be shocking to see them add a veteran to help lead the path forward for their otherwise youthful roster. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy The Rays have a real shot at making their first World Series run since 2020. Their preferred approach will be chasing rental players and protecting their top prospects while still finding real upgrades.\u00a0<\/p>\n President of baseball operations Erik Neander is likely to look for short-term deals without overcommitting. Tampa Bay\u2019s rotation leads the AL in ERA, but workload concerns around Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax could signal that the team is looking for a proven starter.\u00a0<\/p>\n Their splashiest acquisition would be Astros slugger Alvarez, who would lengthen a Rays lineup that looks excellent up top \u2014\u00a0with Yandy D\u00edaz and Junior Caminero among the best hitters in MLB \u2014 but thins out toward the end. They\u2019re more likely to go after someone like Arr\u00e1ez, who\u2019s expected to be one of the more cost-efficient options on the market. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy Since winning the World Series in 2023, the Rangers have been unable to recapture the offensive magic. Those issues continue into the 2026 season, though they’re contending in the weak AL West despite scoring the fewest runs in the division through June.\u00a0<\/p>\n Texas could use more swing-and-miss arms at the back end of the bullpen, but the bigger addition would be an impact bat. At the very least, they could use more lineup depth, whether it\u2019s in the outfield, behind the plate or at second base. \u2014 Kavner<\/p>\n Strategy: Buy Facing pressure to extend their 2025 Fall Classic run into this season, the Blue Jays have struggled to be the pesky, high-contact offensive force that they were last year. That said, Toronto is hoping its underperforming bats will soon turn it around \u2014 slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is on pace to hit just eight home runs this season \u2014 while turning their attention to the rotation.\u00a0<\/p>\n The starters rank in the bottom third in the league in ERA, and the Blue Jays also need to look ahead to 2027 as Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber will be free agents at season’s end. That\u2019s why someone like Ryan makes sense for the Jays. The right-hander is under team control through next season, and he\u2019s one of the best starters on the market if the Twins actually make him available this summer. \u2014 Thosar<\/p>\n Joe Ryan could be one of the most sought-after pitchers on the trade market, but that depends on whether the Twins put him on the market. (Brace Hemmelgarn\/Minnesota Twins\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n![\"Arizona](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Diamondbacks.vresize.200.200.medium.1.png\")
<\/a>Arizona Diamondbacks<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Impact bat, left-handed reliever, starting pitcher
Dream Acquisition:\u00a01B Willson Contreras (Red Sox)
Realistic Target: LHP Daniel Lynch IV (Royals)<\/p>\n![\"Athletics\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Athletics.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Athletics<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Pitching
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0RHP Jos\u00e9 Soriano (Angels)
Realistic Target: LHP Brock Burke (Reds)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"Atlanta](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Braves.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Atlanta Braves<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Starting pitching, shortstop
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
Realistic Target: RHP Casey Mize (Tigers)<\/p>\n![\"Baltimore](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Orioles.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Baltimore Orioles<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Starting pitching, bullpen arm
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
Realistic Target: RHP Sonny Gray (Red Sox)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"Boston](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/RedSox.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Boston Red Sox<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Impact bat (preferably right-handed), long-term pitching depth
Best Asset: LHP Aroldis Chapman\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cubs.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Chicago Cubs<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Pitching
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)\u00a0
Realistic Target: LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)<\/p>\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WhiteSox.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Chicago White Sox<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Starting pitching, controllable arms
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0RHP Logan Webb (Giants)
Realistic Target: LHP Reid Detmers (Angels)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"Cincinnati](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Reds.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Cincinnati Reds<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Bullpen, outfield
Best Asset: OF JJ Bleday<\/p>\n![\"Cleveland](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Guardians.vresize.200.200.medium.1.png\")
<\/a>Cleveland Guardians<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Offense, rotation depth
Dream Acquisition:\u00a01B Christian Walker (Astros)
Realistic Target: OF Mickey Moniak (Rockies)<\/p>\n![\"Colorado](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Rockies.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Colorado Rockies<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Make everyone available and get the rebuild going
Best Asset: C Hunter Goodman<\/p>\n![\"Detroit](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tigers.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Detroit Tigers<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Starting pitching depth
Best Asset: LHP Tarik Skubal<\/p>\n![\"Houston](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Astros.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Houston Astros<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Outfield, starting pitching
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0OF Byron Buxton (Twins)\u00a0
Realistic Target: OF JJ Bleday (Reds)<\/p>\n![\"Kansas](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Royals.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Kansas City Royals<\/p>\n
Team Needs: MLB-ready prospects
Best Asset: RHP Michael Wacha<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"Los](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Angels.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Los Angeles Angels<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Revamping a lagging farm system
Best Asset: LHP Reid Detmers<\/p>\n![\"Los](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Dodgers.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Not much. Relief pitching, second base, getting younger
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0SS CJ Abrams (Nationals)
Realistic Target: RHP Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)<\/p>\n![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Marlins.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Miami Marlins<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Third baseman
Dream Acquisition:\u00a01B\/3B Isaac Paredes (Astros)
Realistic Target: SS\/3B J.P. Crawford (Mariners)<\/p>\n
![\"Milwaukee](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Brewers.vresize.200.200.medium.1.png\")
<\/a>Milwaukee Brewers<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Impact bat, bullpen
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0SS Jeremy Pe\u00f1a
Realistic Target: 3B Isaac Paredes (Astros)<\/p>\n![\"Minnesota](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Twins.vresize.200.200.medium.2.png\")
<\/a>Minnesota Twins<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Bullpen
Dream Acquisition: LHP Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox)
Realistic Target: RHP Antonio Senzatela (Rockies)<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mets.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>New York Mets<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Starting pitching, first base, second base
Best Asset: RHP Freddy Peralta\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Yankees.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>New York Yankees<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Catcher, bullpen, third base
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
Realistic Target: 3B Isaac Paredes (Astros)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"Philadelphia](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Phillies.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Philadelphia Phillies<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Corner outfielder
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
Realistic Target: OF Taylor Ward (Orioles)<\/p>\n![\"Pittsburgh](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Pirates.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Pittsburgh Pirates<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Bullpen
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox)
Realistic Target: RHP Pete Fairbanks (Marlins)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Padres.vresize.200.200.medium.1.png\")
<\/a>San Diego Padres<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Starting pitching, lefty bat, catcher
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0RHP Joe Ryan (Twins)
Realistic Target: OF Lars Nootbaar (Cardinals)<\/p>\n![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Giants.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>San Francisco Giants<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Deal the rentals \u2014 and listen on high-priced vets \u2014 to bolster the farm
Best Asset: 2B Luis Arr\u00e1ez<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"Seattle](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mariners.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Righty bat, relief pitching
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox)
Realistic Target: UTIL Casey Schmitt (Giants)<\/p>\n![\"St.](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cardinals.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>St. Louis Cardinals<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Pitching, third base
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0SP Reid Detmers (Angels)
Realistic Target: 3B Matt Chapman (Giants)<\/p>\n![\"Tampa](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Rays.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Tampa Bay Rays<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Lineup depth, pitching
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0DH\/OF Yordan Alvarez (Astros)
Realistic Target: 2B Luis Arr\u00e1ez (Giants)<\/p>\n![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Rangers.vresize.200.200.medium.1.png\")
<\/a>Texas Rangers<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Impact bat, relief pitching, catcher\u00a0
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0C Hunter Goodman (Rockies)
Realistic Target: 2B Luis Arr\u00e1ez (Giants)<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/BlueJays.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Toronto Blue Jays<\/p>\n
Team Needs: Starting pitching
Dream Acquisition:\u00a0LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
Realistic Target: RHP Joe Ryan (Twins)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"Washington](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Nationals.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
<\/a>Washington Nationals<\/p>\n![\"Major](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/MLB.vresize.200.200.medium.0.png\")
MLB Related Stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Will Tarik Skubal be wearing a different uniform down the stretch? One month before MLB\u2019s Aug. 3 trade…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":741625,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2391],"tags":[634,909,3569,22,1113,537,46,1217,47,5,734,1351,48,757,358,3765,6440,26,4720,710,2223,735,9097,20455,2004,399,9406,24,49,919,50,51,52,97,1100,53,4914,1177,633,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,4,3226,61,62,64,66,659,1039],"class_list":["post-741624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-athletics","tag-a-j-minter","tag-alex-call","tag-antonio-senzatela","tag-arizona-diamondbacks","tag-aroldis-chapman","tag-athletics","tag-atlanta-braves","tag-austin-wells","tag-baltimore-orioles","tag-baseball","tag-ben-brown","tag-bobby-witt-jr","tag-boston-red-sox","tag-brady-singer","tag-brett-baty","tag-brock-burke","tag-brock-stewart","tag-brooks-raley","tag-bryce-elder","tag-bryce-eldridge","tag-byron-buxton","tag-cade-horton","tag-caleb-ferguson","tag-cam-schlittler","tag-carlos-rodon","tag-casey-mize","tag-casey-schmitt","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-chicago-white-sox","tag-chris-sale","tag-cincinnati-reds","tag-cleveland-guardians","tag-colorado-rockies","tag-corbin-burnes","tag-david-bednar","tag-detroit-tigers","tag-edward-cabrera","tag-elly-de-la-cruz","tag-ha-seong-kim","tag-houston-astros","tag-kansas-city-royals","tag-los-angeles-angels","tag-los-angeles-dodgers","tag-miami-marlins","tag-milwaukee-brewers","tag-minnesota-twins","tag-mlb","tag-mlb-athletics","tag-new-york-mets","tag-new-york-yankees","tag-pittsburgh-pirates","tag-san-francisco-giants","tag-spencer-schwellenbach","tag-world-series"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=741624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741624\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/741625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=741624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=741624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=741624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}