Philly Front Office

The MLB Trade Deadline is Monday, August 3 at 6pm. That means that in the next 4 weeks, teams will determine if they are either buyers or sellers. This is not cut and dried. Sometimes teams realize that their place in the standings is a lie while others refuse to believe they are dead in the water. Even better is when I write this article and some team reels off a 10-game winning streak to make me look like an idiot (it’s always either Cleveland or Minnesota).

Phillies All In?

It should be noted that the NL is much better than the AL this season, but it is also much less competitive Here’s where everyone stands with less than a month to go (alphabetical order by city):

UNDECIDED/NOT ACTIVE

• Chicago White Sox
  • 47-42: 1 GU AL Central
  • They need pitching, but they aren’t going to go get any. This is a young team that was not supposed to contend this year. Do not expect them to go and trade from their stash of prospects that they have been cultivating endlessly. They aren’t selling, but they aren’t going to be major players at the deadline.
• Cleveland Guardians
  • 47-44: 1 GB AL Central, 1.5 GU AL Wild Card
  • They aren’t going to make any moves, they will just start doing everything right when the time comes. Hell, they could even end up trading someone like Steven Kwan and will still end up making the playoffs. That’s how it is.
• Houston Astros
  • 45-47: 1 GB AL West, 2.5 GB AL Wild Card
  • You’d think being in such a crappy division and so close to the playoffs would make them an easy buyer, but this team simply isn’t very good. Take away Yordan Alvarez (DH) and this isn’t even a question. Speaking of which, if they wanted to really change things up, he would be the biggest bat on the market by a country mile. Christian Walker (1B) was bad last year but has rebounded big time. I’m sure Houston would love to not pay him $20m next year though.
• Miami Marlins
  • 49-42: 4.5 GB NL East, Tied for Final NL Wild Card
  • The Marlins are “undecided” because I have a pretty good idea that they are going to both buy AND sell. Sandy Alcantara (SP) is having a bounce back season but is making $17m this year and $21m with a team option next year. Despite their place in the standings, teams are going to make offers for him. If Miami can get a young player back and avoid the possibility of his value declining in the 2nd half, they are going to make the deal. If they can move Pete Fairbanks (RP), they would do that too. Unfortunately for the Marlins and his $13m salary, he stinks.
• Pittsburgh Pirates
  • 46-45: 3 GB NL Wild Card
  • The Pirates have great starting pitching and have scored a lot of runs, but their bullpen stinks. If they can hang in, improving the pen is a must, but a few more losses and talks of buying are extinguished. Then a resurgent Bryan Reynolds (OF) and solid Ryan O’Hearn (OF) will be moved to the top of a dismal outfield market. You didn’t really think Pirates’ ownership would spend, did you?
• St. Louis Cardinals
  • 47-40: Tied for Final NL Wild Card
  • The Cardinals were not supposed to contend this season but find themselves in the thick of the wild card hunt. With top prospect Josh Baez ready for the Majors, Lars Nootbar (LF) could find himself traded without the team making much of a sacrifice. Dustin May (SP) wouldn’t be much of a loss either.
• San Diego Padres
  • 44-45: 4 GB NL Wild Card
  • YIKES! Because the Mets have been such a disaster and their record doesn’t look too bad, the Padres have been flying under the radar. In reality, they stink and they are expensive. New ownership is the only real wild card here as they may not want to tear things down midseason and piss off the fans. However, trading pitchers with player options/opt-outs like Michael King (SP), Wandy Peralta (RP), and Yuki Matsui (RP) should be no-brainers. I don’t think they move Mason Miller (SP) at the deadline.
• Tampa Bay Rays
  • 52-35: 4 GU AL East
  • They absolutely should be buyers, because their top 3 starters of Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, and Shane McClanahan are all fine for the regular season, but they look like the type that gets shelled in the playoffs. They need an ace to push all those guys down a peg. They just aren’t the type to go get one.
• Toronto Blue Jays
  • 42-48: 3 GB AL Wild Card
  • The only reason they aren’t sellers is because of what they did last season. I’m sure they feel as though if they can just get into the playoffs, they have a chance. If they fade though, Kevin Gausman (SP), Daulton Varsho (OF), and even Patrick Corbin (SP) could all get solid returns in the last years of their deals. I wouldn’t mind the Phillies bringing back Jeff Hoffman (RP)(assuming his performance and salary means he would cost very little).

Friday Fun: Home Runs at the Halfway

SELLERS

• Arizona Diamondbacks
  • They aren’t officially dead, but they are dead in the top heavy NL. Big-ish bets were made on bringing back Zac Gallen (SP) and Merrill Kelly (SP), but they’ve been terrible. So has Brandon Pfaadt (SP). While they could move vets on good contracts like Ketel Marte (2B) and Eduardo Rodriguez (SP) for big prospect hauls, it will probably be something like Mike Soroka (SP), Geraldo Perdomo (SS), and Nolan Arenado (3B) instead.
• Baltimore Orioles
  • What a disaster. The pitching just stinks. Trevor Rogers (SP) turned back into a pumpkin and Kyle Bradish (SP) is not his 2023 form anymore but both have good trade value. Meanwhile, their once vaunted prospects have stalled out with Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holiday doing nothing, they aren’t moving though. They did get lucky with Taylor Ward (OF) and a bounce back season by Adley Rutschman (C) though. Right-handed hitting outfielders with great plate discipline and catchers in general are at the absolute top of the trade market. They need to move.
• Boston Red Sox
  • If the Orioles are a disaster, then Boston is nuclear fallout. Their prospects seemed to have failed even worse than Baltimore’s! Brayan Bello, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell are basically dead weight at this point and their injured list is a rogue’s gallery. They have players to move though and the Red Sox love nothing better than getting rid of players for prospects. Sonny Gray (SP), Willson Contreras (1B), Aroldis Chapman (RP) and Garrett Whitlock (RP) could all bring back large returns. Unfortunately, they waited too long on Jarren Duran (OF) who is apparently terrible now after 14 WAR total the last two seasons.
• Cincinnati Reds
  • They really should be better, but they are still the Reds. Last year’s team, wasn’t very good either, but the Mets were worse. They don’t even have much to sell. Eugenio Suarez (3B) will probably get traded for very little considering he’s been awful. Other than him? Ummm…
• Colorado Rockies
  • In terms of players, they are willing to part with AND have value, the Venn Diagram only overlaps at Mickey Moniak (OF), Antonio Senzatela (SP), and Willi Castro (INF). This team is slowly inching forward, but these 3 are not part of the future.
• Detroit Tigers
  • Detroit signed Frambar Valdez because they were trying to contend while Tarik Skubal was in his last season. It hasn’t worked out. Now Skubal (SP) is the biggest name on the trade market in years. Joining him are expiring contracts in Jack Flaherty (SP), Casey Mize (SP), and Kenley Jansen (RP). While I expect Riley Greene (LF) to stay, the Tigers could kick start a rebuild by trading him.
• Kansas City Royals
  • They can’t hit and they have the worst bullpen in baseball. That means everyone but Bobby Witt should be available. Michael Wacha (SP) and Seth Lugo (SP) both have a year at least remaining on their contracts though and could be very good 3rd starters for playoff teams. Matt Strahm (RP) is totally getting moved.
• LA Angels
  • Mike Trout is not getting traded, so stop it. Reid Detmers (SP), Jose Soriano (SP), and Zach Neto (SS) maybe, but they all have 2+ years of control left so you’d need to blow them away. Jorge Soler and Jo Adell? As good as gone.
• Minnesota Twins
  • Byron Buxton is always the one to watch, but much like Mike Trout, he has to want to leave and he doesn’t want to. I’m not buying him moving. For a team that had a huge fire sale last year, they have a surprising amount of players available this year like Joe Ryan (SP), Royce Lewis (3B), Trevor Larnach (LF), and, as always, Josh Bell (1B).
• New York Mets
  • I avoided writing about them last time in fear that it would turn them around. Regardless of whether that still happens or not, they almost have to be sellers at the deadline. Are they really going to re-sign Freddy Peralta (SP) after the season? He could go. The bullpen is very good and they could get quality talent back for Luke Weaver (SP) and Brooks Raley (SP). Do they still want to be in the Mark Vientos (3B) and Brett Baty (3B) business?
• Not Oakland A’s
  • Well, they aren’t buying! That being said, they do not have much to sell either with a fun young team and a move to Las Vegas in the near future. Aaron Civale (SP) and Jonah Heim (C) are the only ones who may go.
• SF Giants
  • It’s between the Mets, Red Sox, and Giants for most disappointing team in baseball. While those teams have at least some young players and tradeable vets, what do the Giants have besides Luis Arraez (2B)? There’s Robbie Ray (SP) who is good but expensive and regularly hurt, Jung Hoo Lee (CF) who is also expensive but is at least hitting .315 and good for the first time, and maybe Heliot Ramos (LF) because he is right handed. Everyone else is incredibly overpaid for their production.
• Washington Nationals
  • This team should be in the thick of the division race. Their bullpen is atrocious though, blowing countless games. While it would be easy to say that this high scoring team could just use some pen help, the starters aren’t playoff ready either. Look for Foster Griffin (SP) and Zack Littell (SP) to get moved and for the team to take serious calls on CJ Abrams (SS).

MLB Trade Deadline ’26 – Vol. 3

BUYERS

• Atlanta Braves
  • The Braves are bleeding badly and while the offense has lost all its power, it is the rotation that needs an upgrade. Who is riding into the playoffs next to Chris Sale? I would bet they make a trade with Joe Ryan before they take on Tarik Skubal. Ryan would be much more likely to re-sign in Atlanta than Skubal.
• Chicago Cubs
  • No one has any idea if this team is good or not. They keep losing and winning in bunches and while it has a lot to do with injuries, it is still strange. Speaking of injuries, that is where their starting rotation is currently. They need arms and should get to talking with KC about Wacha and Lugo.
• LA Dodgers
  • Whatever they want, right? They have prospects to spare and no weaknesses on the roster assuming Edwin Diaz, Blake Snell, and/or Tyler Glasnow come back from injury. I could see them getting Skubal and Luke Weaver just to make sure no one else does.
• Milwaukee Brewers
  • The Brewers just keep cranking out young cheap talent, but are finally thin at starting pitcher especially now that Brandon Woodruff might be done. If any Buyer NEEDS to go in on Tarik Skubal, it is the Milwaukee Brewers. That isn’t their style, but it would be THE move of the deadline. Very much like when the 2008 Brewers traded for CC Sabathia.
• New York Yankees
  • Their defense is always a problem, but that’s not something can be fixed. It is what it is. Catcher on the other hand, that can be fixed. While the Cardinals have tons of catcher depth, they might not want to trade from it at the deadline. That may leave the rival Orioles and Adley Rutschman. Imagine that?
• Philadelphia Phillies
  • The Phillies need a lot, but they don’t need much in terms of high end talent: back-end reliever but not a closer, right fielder (preferably right-handed), and a starter with an ERA in the 4s. A middle of the order bat would also be nice, but if you look above, they aren’t out there at positions of need. Those additions would solidify the roster and allow everyone else to have to do less.
• Seattle Mariners
  • They have pitching for days, but the hitting needs serious work. Josh Naylor and Cal Raleigh are both paid to hit and neither is doing it. Not to mention, they are both a-holes. Not sure how they fix either of those problems.
• Texas Rangers
  • The Rangers went all in on pitching this season and would have a very good rotation come playoff time, but they just can’t score any runs. Wyatt Langford and Corey Seagar coming back should help, but Byron Buxton in CF would change everything in an upgrade over Evan Carter.

Stats: Baseball Reference

Contracts: Spotrac

Photo: Detroit Tigers