MLB Trade Rumors aren’t slowing down, even with All-Star Week finally here. A few teams are in trouble heading to the All-Star break. One of those teams just so happens to be the New York Mets. Some pundits believe the Mets should be open for business on everyone except Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing, Christian Scott, Nolan McLean, and Carson Benge. However, one tiny wrinkle in that proposal is the status of Francisco Lindor. According to Jon Heyman, Lindor isn’t going anywhere. Throw in a full no-trade clause, and Lindor will only get traded if he wants to move on.
Now, onto the latest rumors.
- The Toronto Blue Jays dropped their last two games before the break, falling to last place in the AL East. They are 12 games back of the Rays, who occupy the top spot. The Blue Jays haven’t declared themselves sellers; however, several pitchers stand out as potential trade pieces. Jeff Hoffman, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Patrick Corbin could all be moved for the right price. Hoffman is an excellent high-leverage reliever with some warts in his game, and he could benefit from a change of scenery. Corbin and Bieber would be valuable end-of-rotation starters on a number of teams, while Gausman could be a dream addition for a contending team. Mitch Bannon of The Athletic believes that the price to acquire Corbin or Bieber would not be that high. With the emergence of Louis Varland and the offseason acquisition of Tyler Rogers, is Hoffman now expendable?
- The Tarik Skubal saga continues, with Skubal himself reportedly wanting to stay with the Detroit Tigers. However, the Tigers control his destiny, as Skubal has no trade protection in his contract. After the break, the Tigers have back-to-back series against the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs. How the team fares over that stretch will say a lot about the team’s direction. The Philadelphia Phillies have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Skubal. However, the Phillies trading for Skubal only makes sense if they think they can extend him. The price will be too steep to acquire him as a rental. Adding Skubal to a rotation that already has Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sanchez would greatly increase the Phillies’ chances of going the distance in the postseason.
- Don’t look now, but the Boston Red Sox are in a great position. They are 10 games back of the first-place Rays in the AL East, thanks in large part to their 9-1 record over the last 10 games. However, it is a sellers’ market heading into this year’s trade deadline. With that in mind, the team should have no problem garnering interest for someone like Wilson Contreras. Robert Murray believes Contreras brings a lot of value to the Red Sox, and that the team could move him at the deadline. Murray believes the value is so strong that the Red Sox could get several pieces back in return that would help them be a stronger team next year and the years to come.
Now, onto the Big Board…
MLB Trade Rumors: Skubal & Gray Lead the Way
Among MLB stars who could be moved, these players are at the top of the list. Competition for these stars will be stiff.
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (Contract Details: $32 million, remainder of 2026). The Tigers would be foolish to go all the way to the offseason without trading Skubal. He is the best player available on the trade market and immediately upgrades every rotation across the league. The back-to-back Cy Young winner will command a haul in assets. Look to a contending team with deep pockets to make a play by the deadline.
Bo Bichette, New York Mets (Contract Details: Three years, $42 million AAV with player opt-out after the first two years). The Mets are more than likely selling at this point. The opt-outs in Bichette’s contract should make the Mets wary about keeping him. Bichette didn’t just sign with them for the money; he wants to win. Luckily for the player, he has a full no-trade clause, giving him complete control over whether he stays or goes.
Mason Miller, San Diego Padres (Contract Details: Final year, $4 million). AJ Preller hasn’t thrown cold water on trade rumors, leaving the door open for the Padres to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Miller throws hard and is one of the league leaders in saves this year. Miller will be a difference-maker with whichever organization he is with once the dust settles.
Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox (Contract Details: Final year, $7.7 million). The Red Sox may have missed their window to sell high on Duran. His stats are falling from last season’s heights. Yet the fact remains that they have many outfielders, and the former All-Star would certainly garner interest from around the league.
Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox (Contract Details: 2 years remaining, $11 million this year, $30 million in 2027). Every team needs help with their pitching, which makes Gray an attractive option. Contenders are likely to show interest in Gray, but the teams with the deepest pockets will likely prevail, given the state of his contract.
MLB Trade Rumors: Wilson Contreras on the Move?
Nearly every team competing for playoff position could use another bat. Here are some of the top bats available, whether they be power bats or high-contact hitters.
CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals (Contract Details: Final year, $4.2 million). He hits for average and for power, and he steals bases and drives in runs. Many teams will certainly look to the Nationals to acquire Abrams, as upgrades at the infield position are in high demand. However, the Nationals will want to keep him if no potential deal knocks their socks off.
Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins (Contract Details: 6 Years, $14,285,714 AAV). The Twins don’t appear to want to trade Buxton. However, if push comes to shove and they are given an offer that they can’t refuse, a trade could happen. Of all their assets, Buxton could give the Twins the kind of return they want.
Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco Giants (Contract Details: Four years remaining, $18.333 AAV). The 27-year-old is in the top five in MLB in batting average and strikeout rate, and he’s carrying a slugging percentage over .450. Additionally, he can play all around the outfield. The Giants should get a good return if they move him.
Corey Seager, Texas Rangers (Contract Details: Six years remaining, $32.5 million AAV). Right now, the Rangers’ main priority is getting Seager healthy enough to help the team make a run for the postseason. However, Seager will gain the right to veto any deal once the season ends. That might be enough motivation for the team to sell on him before the player has that kind of power.
Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants (Contract Details: One year, $12 million). Everyone around the league knows what Arraez can bring to the table. He hits and rarely strikes out. Add to that his improved defensive metrics this season, and that’s a recipe for selling high. Which is exactly what the Giants will (likely) look at.
Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants (Contract Details: Five years, $25.166 million AAV). The Giants are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to Chapman. He’s been playing well and hitting well, but he is an aging player who is owed a lot of money. If the Giants are selling, he won’t be an easy asset to move.
Ryan Jeffers, Twins (Contract Details: Final year of deal, $6.7 million). It looks like a bidding war could be brewing with the Yankees, Rays, Padres, and Red Sox all potentially in the mix for the best catcher on the market (as reported above). This puts the Twins in a great position to maximize the value of the return they get for the player.
Wilson Contreras, Boston Red Sox (Contract Details: Three years, $17.5 million AAV). With the Red Sox sitting at the bottom of the barrel in the AL East, any and all assets are likely to warrant at least a discussion. Contreras isn’t massively overpaid, but he has no-trade protection. While that complicates a potential deal, it doesn’t make it impossible.
MLB Trade Rumors: Under-the-Radar Sluggers
If teams swing out on the top contact and power options, these players would be very valuable in their own right.
Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros (Contract Details: Final year, $9.475 million). Pena is one of the best shortstops in the game right now. He has been a World Series MVP and an All-Star. The Astros should only move on if they can maximize their return on investment.
Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs (Contract Details: Final year, $19 million). If the Cubs are selling, they could find plenty of suitors for Suzuki’s services. He can play in the outfield and has a productive bat to boot.
Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros (Contract Details: Final year at $9.35 million, with a 2027 club option). The Astros have a team option on Paredes this offseason. This year, his numbers have been down, and that might warrant some trade consideration. He’s still young, but Paredes is likely to be a fallback option for contending teams.
Lars Nootbaar, St. Louis Cardinals (Contract Details: Final year, $5.25 million). The Cardinals are set to rebuild if things go sideways during the season. If that’s the way that things go, Nootbaar could see himself being dealt to a new team. He started the year injured, but has been solid since his season debut in June.
Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs (Contract Details: Final year, $804,500). If the Cubs are interested in making a push for a starter, Shaw could very well find himself going the other way. Shaw is a utility infielder who could be on the outside looking in following the team’s offseason additions.
Mickey Moniak, Colorado Rockies (Contract Details: Final year, $4 million). The Rockies have a new president of operations. With a new President comes new alliances, and Moniak could be left wanting. For teams inquiring, Moniak plays all outfield positions. This makes him an excellent target for teams that value versatility.
MLB Trade Rumors: Freddie Peralta and Other Difference-Making Starters
There are more pitchers on a team than any other position. Teams are always on the lookout for more help with their rotation, and this year is no exception.
Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins (Contract Details: Two years, $6.1 million in 2026 and $13 million in 2027, with a mutual option that includes a $100,000 buyout). The next-best starting pitcher available is Ryan. If the Twins go into seller mode, Ryan is likely to go. However, some reports are more bullish about whether he moves by the deadline. Definitely a situation to keep your eyes on.
Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels (Contract Details: Final year, $2.625 million). After spending a year in the bullpen, Detmers has returned to the rotation. He is one of the best hurlers in the league in punchouts, trailing only Cristopher Sanchez, Dylan Cease, and Jason Misiorowski. There is some uncertainty regarding the Angels’ desire to rebuild if things go south. However, there are contending organizations that could offer attractive packages to acquire the southpaw.
Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers (Contract Details: Final year, $6.150 million). Mize is an underrated target for any team looking to bolster their rotation. He is on an incredibly attractive contract, has more strikeouts than innings pitched, and is limiting baserunners. Mize has an impressive arsenal of pitches with no weaknesses to speak of.
Jose Soriano, Los Angeles Angels (Contract Details: Final year, $2.9 million). Soriano would be a high-risk, high-reward acquisition for any team looking for rotation help. He shows flashes of brilliance, while also struggling with control. Along with Detmers, he could be on the block if the Angels decide that the package is enticing enough.
Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins (Contract Details: Two years left, $17.3 million for 2026, $21 million in 2027 with a club option that includes a $2 million buy-out). The Marlins could be persuaded to trade away Alcantara. He’s not an ace for a playoff-bound team, but he can be an ideal middle-rotation starter. The Marlins are now reportedly keeping Alcantara and operating as “strategic buyers.”
Foster Griffin, Washington Nationals (Contract Details: Final year, $5.5 million). Griffin is signed to a very team-friendly contract and has been playing excellent baseball. He has incredible control of his pitching arsenal, which boasts seven different pitches.
Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants (Contract Details: Final year, $25 million). Ray has been proving his worth as he prepares to enter free agency this offseason. A contending team that needs rotation depth could come calling to the Giants to see what it would take to get him off their hands.
Freddy Peralta, New York Mets (Contract Details: Final year, $8 million). A modest salary and solid arsenal will make Peralta a solid target for teams leading up to the trade deadline. However, the Mets will be short on leverage, as he isn’t having the same career year he did in 2025.
MLB Trade Rumors: Bullpen Upgrades For Contenders
Similarly to starting pitchers, relievers are always in high demand at the trade deadline. Adding the right reliever can make or break a team’s regular season, or playoff run, for that matter. These players could be difference-makers for the right team.
Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox (Contract Details: Two years, $13 million with a mutual option for year two, conditional upon physical). Chapman could easily be considered a star player. However, at this stage of his career, he’s an effective high-leverage reliever who will draw the interest of many teams. This southpaw closer should have teams fighting over him, as the Red Sox recoup assets for a season lost.
Josh Hader, Houston Astros (Contract Details: Three years, $19 million). The Astros are on the hunt for a Wild Card spot. Even so, given the state of the reliever market at this year’s trade deadline, it would be foolish not to explore trading Hader. He might be expensive for what he brings, but if the Astros take calls on him, there will be a playoff-bound team willing to pay the price to get him.
Riley O’Brien, St. Louis Cardinals (Contract Details: Final year, $795,050). O’Brien is a reliever who limits contact and shows flashes of an elite fastball. He doesn’t require arbitration until 2028 and is controlled until 2030. A package of a few young prospects (or a prospect and a pick) could be enough to entice the Cardinals to part with this promising pitcher.
Bryan Abreu, Houston Astros (Contract Details: Final year, $5.85 million). One of the more likely pitchers to find a new home by the deadline is Abreu. He hasn’t had the same results this year as in previous seasons. However, the Astros could consider a change-of-scenery trade to maximize their return on investment.
Ryan Helsley, Baltimore Orioles (Contract Details: Two years, $14 million per year with a Player Option for Year 2). While it’s unlikely the Orioles would want to trade Helsley, never say never. Sure, the two parties agreed to a two-year pact this past offseason. That suggests they may look to trade other players away before they consider something involving Helsley.
Jeff Hoffman, Toronto Blue Jays (Contract Details: Two years, $11 million). While it’s unlikely the Blue Jays will trade away Hoffman, he’s the top candidate to be shipped out for an upgrade. With the emergence of Louis Varland, Hoffman’s place on the team is uncertain. While John Schneider stands behind his reliever, don’t be surprised if they give Hoffman a change of scenery and bring in another high-leverage reliever who has displayed more consistency with the ball.
Matt Strahm, Kansas City Royals (Contract Details: Final year, $7.5 million). Considering how Strahm’s season has gone, it’s not unreasonable to think the Royals would consider an upgrade. Even at 34 years old, he can still be a difference-maker in the late innings.
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