With a number of key factors already shaping this year’s trade market, I recently checked in with decision-makers from all 30 MLB front offices to see what their team’s biggest needs are right now. Of course, a lot can change between now and the Aug. 1 trade deadline, but with trade discussions already “bubbling” throughout the game, let’s take stock. Here is a rundown of what I’m hearing and my thoughts on the most important need(s) for each team at this time.
AL East
Tampa Bay Rays
Rotation depth and bullpen help
The Rays are the best team in major-league baseball. They have the best record (50-22) and second-best run differential (142). They rank second in runs scored and second in team ERA. But don’t expect their front office, led by president of baseball operations Erik Neander and general manager Peter Bendix, to rest on their laurels. As always, the Rays are in the marketplace and looking to improve their starting pitching depth and bullpen.
Baltimore Orioles
A starting pitcher and middle-relief upgrades
The Orioles are a legitimate contender in the AL East and a front-runner for one of the league’s wild-card berths. This team is for real. And yet, the organization has several top prospects knocking on the door of the majors, including outfielders Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad. It appears Cowser is major-league-ready, which will allow GM Mike Elias to dangle one of the Orioles’ outfielders, such as Anthony Santander or Austin Hays, in a trade to upgrade their rotation. Teams like the Mariners, Yankees, and Guardians match up well with the O’s in this type of “buyer-to-buyer” swap.
New York Yankees
An outfielder
The Yankees have been dealing with injuries to right fielder Aaron Judge and center fielder Harrison Bader, and they finally gave up on outfielder Aaron Hicks and released him. (The Orioles say, thank you very much.) That has left the Yankees with an outfield of mostly journeymen such as Billy McKinney, Willie Calhoun, Jake Bauers and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. They need to make a trade for an impact, middle-of-the-order left fielder.
Toronto Blue Jays
Get Alek Manoah back on track and add a depth bat
The Blue Jays have a solid rotation, led by Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, José Berríos and Yusei Kikuchi. However, their best starter last year, Manoah, has been a total disaster. He went 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA in 13 starts before being optioned to the Florida Complex League. Imagine if he had pitched like he did last season, when he finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting, going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA. Had he pitched like that to start this year, the Blue Jays would be in second place, knocking on the door of the Rays. Toronto’s biggest need right now is simply to get him back on track. In terms of a trade, another depth bat would help their push for the playoffs.
Boston Red Sox
Starting and relief pitching
It’s amazing the Red Sox have been hovering around .500, and a lot of the credit should go to manager Alex Cora, who has again done a tremendous job of motivating his players. However, the Red Sox rotation ranks 24th in the majors in starting pitchers’ ERA; outside of Brayan Bello, they don’t have a pitcher with seven or more starts who has an ERA under 4.35; and it looks like Chris Sale could be done for the season because of a lingering shoulder injury. I’m told the Red Sox also have been shopping for relief help.
AL Central
Minnesota Twins
Offensive upgrades and get their own hitters performing up to their potential
The Twins have the best rotation in the division with Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Pablo López and Bailey Ober, and soon should get Kenta Maeda back from the IL. The back end of their bullpen is solid with Jhoan Duran, Brock Stewart, Griffin Jax and Jorge López. However, a lack of offense has kept the Twins from taking off as they’ve remained around .500. Byron Buxton is hitting .215 when he’s not on the injured list; Carlos Correa is hitting .219 while dealing with foot and heel pain; Max Kepler is batting .192 and Joey Gallo is at .193. You get the point. Many of the Twins’ position players have lingering injuries and are underperforming when they’re in the lineup. If they can’t get their bats going by the trade deadline, look for the Twins to deal for offense wherever they can upgrade.
Cleveland Guardians
An impact power-hitting outfielder
The Guardians are last in the majors in home runs with just 44. They are 28th in slugging percentage and 23rd in on-base percentage. By contrast, their pitching staff ranks seventh in team ERA (3.83). Their biggest need is obvious: a power bat, preferably an outfielder. The Guardians don’t like trading from their loaded farm system, but they might have to if they want to win the division. They also might want to consider trading one of their major-league starters in a “buyer-to-buyer” type trade for an outfielder who can mash. It would also help if they could get DH Josh Bell to live up to his contract, as he’s batting .237 with six home runs since signing a two-year, $33 million deal this past winter.
Chicago White Sox
Overall team defense
The White Sox are 10 games under .500 but still only 5 1/2 games out of first place with a legitimate shot at winning the division. They should have the makings of a strong rotation with Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech and Lance Lynn, if those guys can pitch to their accustomed level. Their offense can be lethal when healthy, led by emerging star Luis Robert Jr. However, the White Sox are a bad defensive team, ranked 29th by FanGraphs in overall team defense. And it’s not an easy fix. But what’s interesting about the White Sox is if they start to crater, they could be the headliner of the trade deadline, because no one would have more impact starters to trade than them.
Detroit Tigers
A starting pitcher and middle-of-the-order bats
The Tigers have lost 11 of their past 13 games, in the process dropping from second place to fourth place, which is probably where they belong. However, they’re still only 6 games back in a mediocre division with plenty of season left for a miracle. The Tigers have needs everywhere, from starting pitching to the middle of their lineup. However, they also could have two well-sought-after trade chips to dangle in starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (currently on the IL) and reliever Alex Lange as they continue to build for the long term, which is the only thing they should be focused on right now.
Kansas City Royals
Controllable starting pitching
The Royals are sellers and open for business. Their best trade chips are relievers Scott Barlow and Aroldis Chapman. They also could move veteran starter Zack Greinke if he wants to finish his career in a pennant race. The Royals are seeking controllable starting pitching in return in deals.
AL West
Texas Rangers
A back-end reliever
The Rangers have the third-best record in the AL and the best run differential in the sport (143). They have the most explosive offense in the game and have scored more runs than any other team. Their starting pitching has been solid up and down the rotation, even with the season-ending injury to Jacob deGrom, who had Tommy John surgery Monday. The Rangers have been burning up the phones trying to add to the back of their bullpen, which is clearly their biggest need at this point. Their relievers rank 25th in the majors with a combined 4.58 ERA. The Rangers match up well with the Royals in a swap for righty Scott Barlow or lefty Aroldis Chapman, or maybe even both.
Houston Astros
Another bat
You would think the Astros would be searching for another starting pitcher after losing Justin Verlander to free agency and Lance McCullers Jr. (who underwent season-ending surgery Tuesday), Luis Garcia and José Urquidy to the IL. However, thanks to the solid performance of a trio of rookie pitchers — Hunter Brown, Brandon Bielak and J.P. France — the Astros find themselves searching for a bat instead. They were counting on first baseman José Abreu to provide 25-30 homers and 80-100 RBIs this season, but he’s batting .230 with only four home runs. It looks like age and decline have caught up with him, though he’s hit much better of late. Also, outfielder/DH Michael Brantley has been on the IL all season and the Astros haven’t gotten consistent production in center or left field. It’s left them scouring the trade market for a first baseman, left fielder and/or DH-type power bat.
Los Angeles Angels
A starting pitcher
Will superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout and the Halos finally get to the playoffs? The Angels are 39-32 and only 1 game out of the third AL wild-card spot. Every year, it seems the Angels need starting pitching, and that’s again the case. Their starting pitchers rank 23rd in the majors with a combined 4.77 ERA. The Angels are prepared to step up at the trade deadline to acquire another pitcher. They are among the teams waiting to see if the White Sox will move any of their veteran starters.
Seattle Mariners
A designated hitter/outfielder
The Mariners have been hovering around .500 for weeks and can’t seem to gain any traction in the standings because they just aren’t getting enough offensive production at DH and second base. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto recently had this to say in an interview with Seattle Sports’ “Brock & Salk”: “We could go out and acquire prime Babe Ruth and it’s not going to help us. We’re not one player away or one magic spell from fixing this.” He was kidding, of course, to an extent, but wanted to send a message to the Mariners’ underperforming hitters that they better start producing. On the trade front, the Mariners have made it clear to other teams that they’re looking for an impact bat to upgrade the DH spot, ideally someone who also can play in the outfield, so the M’s could give Teoscar Hernández and Jarred Kelenic an occasional day at DH too.
Oakland A’s
Upgrades throughout the roster and a new stadium
The A’s are 19-52 and may be the worst major-league team I’ve witnessed in my life, but after winning seven of their past nine games, they’ve actually snuck ahead of the Royals, who now have the worst record in the game. The A’s have needs in all areas of the roster but not a lot of viable major leaguers to trade. DH Brent Rooker and reliever Trevor May are the most likely players to be dealt by the deadline. Most importantly for the A’s, the stadium controversies that have followed the franchise could be finally coming to a close. The team is likely headed to Las Vegas after the Nevada legislature and governor signed off on a new ballpark, leaving relocation approval by MLB owners as the only remaining step to finalize the move.
NL East
Atlanta Braves
A starting pitcher
The Braves are the best team in the National League but that won’t stop president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos from working to improve this team in the hopes of winning another world championship. Atlanta’s starters rank second in the NL in team ERA and yet starting pitching remains the club’s top goal and priority in acquisitions.
Miami Marlins
Another bat
The Marlins are looking to add an impact bat and believe if they can do so they could be a playoff team come October. They haven’t gotten much offensive production from the left side of their infield and could match up well with the White Sox in a deal for either Tim Anderson or Yoán Moncada, or with the Nationals for Jeimer Candelario, Lane Thomas or Joey Meneses.
Philadelphia Phillies
A corner infielder and a fifth starter
The Phillies were excited to reinstate Alec Bohm from the IL this week because he solves either first or third base (whichever one he’s playing). They trust Kody Clemens and Edmundo Sosa as role players but would prefer to acquire a better all-around corner infielder. They match up well with the Nationals in a potential trade for third baseman Jeimer Candelario. The fifth starter spot, currently vacant, has been a problem for the Phillies all season long. Top prospect Andrew Painter, who is working to come back from a UCL sprain, threw a 20-pitch bullpen session Tuesday and is scheduled to throw another Friday. There’s no timeline for his return but the Phillies hope he can eventually fix their fifth starter issue. If not, they’ll certainly look at the trade market because they have limited options within the organization outside of Painter.
New York Mets
A starting pitcher and a corner outfielder
The Mets have not gotten the overall performance they expected from their $40 million-per-year future Hall of Fame pitchers, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, but that could change for the better going forward. And although Kodai Senga has delivered, Carlos Carrasco has been inconsistent. If everything goes well, José Quintana could complete his rehab and return around the All-Star break, which will be a boost for the rotation, but the Mets could still use another starter. They also could use another impact corner bat. They rank in the bottom third of the league in hitting with runners in scoring position. Starling Marte is not producing at the plate, though he does have 19 steals. If the Mets don’t start winning soon, they could be surprise sellers at the deadline.
Washington Nationals
A controllable starting pitcher
The Nationals remain all about building for the future. They will have trade pieces at the deadline, including their best position players, Jeimer Candelario and Lane Thomas, along with several bullpen arms. The Nationals are looking to acquire young starting pitchers in most of their trade proposals.
NL Central
Pittsburgh Pirates
Starting pitching depth
The Pirates are one of baseball’s best surprise stories and have been hanging around first place in the NL Central all season. GM Ben Cherington has made starting pitching his top trade priority before the deadline. Mitch Keller is having a breakout season and looks like he’s going to Seattle as an All-Star. Rich Hill, Luis Ortiz and Johan Oviedo have been solid and kept the team in games in most of their starts. However, losing Vince Velasquez to season-ending surgery has left a hole in the back of the rotation, especially with Roansy Contreras struggling so much, posting a 6.55 ERA in 11 starts and two relief appearances.
Milwaukee Brewers
A power bat and a relief pitcher
The Brewers will be getting several players back from the IL for the second half of the season, which will help, but they’d like to add a power bat and a relief pitcher before the trade deadline. Milwaukee is tied for last in the NL in runs scored. Its bullpen is middle of the pack in the NL in relievers’ ERA (4.24) and 14th in strikeouts. Devin Williams has been dominant in the closer role, converting 10 of 11 save opportunities with a 2.08 ERA. Relievers Joel Payamps and Elvis Peguero have pitched well, too, but the Brewers would like to add more depth and quality behind them.
Cincinnati Reds
A starting pitcher
An influx of rookie talent, highlighted by the left side of their infield with Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain, suddenly has the Reds in a pennant race. They have two solid young starters to build around who can be dominant: Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott. However, with the injuries to Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft, they really could use a veteran starter to help them stay in the race. If they remain in striking distance before the deadline, expect GM Nick Krall to use his deep farm system to land a starter.
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Chicago Cubs
A left-handed bat and relief pitching
The Cubs need another star for the middle of their lineup, but right now their more realistic priorities are to try to acquire a left-handed bat and an upgrade for their struggling bullpen. They rank 24th in the majors in relievers’ ERA. Adbert Alzolay has been their best arm out of the pen with a 2.05 ERA in 25 appearances, going 3-for-3 in converting save opportunities. The rest of the bullpen has been suspect at best.
St. Louis Cardinals
Starting pitching
The Cardinals have been the most disappointing team in the majors this season. One core reason for the dramatic downfall: their starting pitching, which is 14-26 and ranks 22nd in the majors with a 4.69 ERA. They have only one starter with an ERA under 4.00 (Jordan Montgomery, 3.91). Adam Wainwright’s final year is not going well, as he’s pitched to a 5.79 ERA in seven starts since coming off the IL. Steven Matz (0-7, 5.49 ERA) continues to struggle and has been sent to the bullpen. Rookie lefty Matthew Liberatore has a 5.14 ERA in five appearances (four starts). The Cardinals do have a plethora of major-league-ready outfielders and a strong farm system to trade from. They’re going to have to upgrade their rotation if they want any chance of digging out of this hole and contending this season. Despite their brutal start, the Cardinals are only 8 games back in the wide-open NL Central, and they have the offense to close that gap. (They rank third in the NL in home runs and sixth in runs scored.)
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NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks
A starting pitcher
The Diamondbacks are one of the most exciting and athletic teams in the sport. They rank third in the NL in stolen bases and first in the majors in going from first to third. Corbin Carroll is in the conversation for NL MVP with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman. Zac Gallen is in the conversation for the NL Cy Young Award. The Diamondbacks have the offense and defense to win the division. Their biggest question mark remains the back of the rotation, where they’re counting on rookie pitchers such as Tommy Henry and Ryne Nelson. If the Diamondbacks can trade for a middle-of-the-rotation starter, they just might win the NL West and are a dark horse to go all the way.
Los Angeles Dodgers
A back-of-the-rotation starting pitcher
The Dodgers haven’t been able to move above the Diamondbacks in the standings due to injuries to three key starting pitchers — Walker Buehler, Julio Urías and Dustin May — none of whom are expected back soon. Noah Syndergaard (currently on the IL) has been a bust, going 1-4 with a 7.16 ERA, and rookie starters Michael Grove and Gavin Stone both have ERAs over 8.00. The Dodgers have three elite starters: Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and rookie Bobby Miller. However, they really need to add a veteran arm to the back of their rotation to at least keep them in games until their offense and bullpen can pull out wins late.
San Francisco Giants
A starting pitcher
The Giants have an average or above-average player at every position, but they lack a star impact bat that can carry the team when the lineup goes into a slump. They’re not going to be able to acquire that type of player at the trade deadline because they’re just not available. Give the Giants credit — they tried to sign Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa last offseason, getting outbid for the former and pulling out of a deal for the latter over medical concerns. However, for right now, like most teams, their biggest need is probably a mid-rotation or back-of-the-rotation starter.
San Diego Padres
Get their key players to play to their potential and get Robert Suarez back from the IL
The Padres still feel they have all the elements to get back to the NLCS with a chance to win the World Series. To do so, their star players need to start playing at their past levels. San Diego could use a reliever but think the addition of Robert Suarez (60-day IL) in the second half of the season will solve that need. In addition, I believe they need one more bat to upgrade the bottom of their lineup, unless catcher/DH Gary Sánchez can keep this up. He has six homers in 14 games.
Colorado Rockies
Pitching, pitching and pitching
The last-place Rockies biggest need is … pitching. Surprised? I guess that’s always been their biggest need and always will be since they play half their games at Coors Field. The Rockies should be sellers at the trade deadline, but there has been no indication that’s what they’ll do.
(Top photo of Scott Barlow: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
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