The 2026 MLB trade deadline is exactly four weeks away. This year's deadline is 6 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 3. Commissioner Rob Manfred can set the trade deadline any day between July 28 and Aug. 3, and he typically picks a day with a light schedule to minimize roster disruptions. There are only eight games on the schedule on deadline day this year.
The wild-card standings are wreaking havoc on the trade deadline. Other than a handful of true cellar dwellers, every team is within striking distance of a postseason berth and can reasonably call themselves a contender. There are several clear buyers, a few clear sellers, and a whole bunch of teams in the mushy middle. The next four weeks should clarify things at least a little bit.
Here now are our top 25 trade candidates for this year's deadline. These players are ranked in order of how likely they are to move and how in demand they will be. Way more than 25 players will be traded in four weeks. These 25 stand to be the most significant.
1. SP Tarik Skubal, Tigers
2. SP Casey Mize, Tigers
The Tigers have played well recently, though not well enough to quell trade speculation involving their top two starters, both of whom are rentals. Skubal looked like his two-time Cy Young-winning self last time out and is beginning to round into form as he gets further away from the NanoScope elbow surgery. The last rental with a plausible claim to the "best pitcher in baseball" moniker to get traded at the deadline was David Price back in 2015. It's rare that guys this good get moved in-season. Mize has quietly been terrific around a groin injury that required two injured list stints. With these two, Detroit will be in position to control the starting pitching market at the deadline. Second baseman Gleyber Torres, also a rental, could be moved, though he's battled oblique trouble most of the year. Best fits: Braves for Skubal, Blue Jays for Mize
3. OF Taylor Ward, Orioles
Ward will be the most coveted rental bat on the trade market. He is well short of last year's 36-homer pace, but he's been a terrific on-base guy, plus his power could tick up away from the left field wall at Camden Yards. There is a shortage of quality right-handed hitting outfielders throughout baseball right now and there won't be many available at the deadline, and certainly none with Ward's pedigree and production. The O's should get a very nice return. Lefty starter Trevor Rogers and righty reliever Andrew Kittredge are other Orioles who could be dealt. They're rentals like Ward. Best fit: Phillies
4. SP Freddy Peralta, Mets
5. SP Clay Holmes, Mets
The Mets will spend much of the trade deadline shipping out players they brought in over the winter. Peralta has been very up and down this year, with more down than up lately, and Holmes has not pitched since May 15 because of a broken leg. Neither is at his maximum trade value right now. Still, Peralta has upside and is durable, and Holmes was excellent before his fluke injury (he got hit by a comebacker). There is plenty of precedent for an injured pitcher getting moved at the deadline. Just last year, Shane Bieber got traded despite not having thrown a pitch all year. The Mets won't get as much for Peralta as they gave up in the offseason, but they will get more back than the dinky fourth-round compensation draft pick they will receive if they keep him and make him the qualifying offer. Holmes is not technically a rental, though it's a near lock he'll decline his $12 million player option after the season. The Mets also have two rental lefty relievers they figure to move in A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley. Best fits: Cubs for Peralta, Phillies for Holmes
6. SS CJ Abrams, Nationals
Rental lefty starter Foster Griffin is far more likely to get traded at the deadline, but we can't rule out an Abrams trade. He is under team control through 2028 and he's having an MVP-caliber season. Abrams has immense trade value and would bring back a significant return -- his trade value may never be higher than it is right now -- significant enough that it could be too good to pass up even as Washington continues its surprisingly competitive (and fun) season. An Abrams trade may not go over well with the fan base, but it very well might be the best thing for the Nationals long-term. Best fit: Rays
7. RP Antonio Senzatela, Rockies
8. OF Mickey Moniak, Rockies
Colorado's new pitching folks helped Senzatela add a cutter, plus he's added three ticks of velocity in the move into the bullpen. He's a near-lock to get traded because he's a rental (his $14 million club option for 2027 won't get picked up) and the Rockies have baseball's worst record. Senzatela could be the best available reliever in a month's time. Moniak is essentially a platoon DH, but he's on the heavy side of the platoon as a lefty hitter, and he would remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible player in 2027. There will be a market for him. Ditto catcher Hunter Goodman. Would the Rockies trade him? He has another three years of team control. If the Rockies make him available, there would be A LOT of interest. Best fits: Pirates for Senzatela, Astros for Moniak
9. RP Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox
10. SP Sonny Gray, Red Sox
Even after last week's five-game winning streak, the Red Sox have a long way to go to get back into the wild-card race. Chapman and Gray are two high-quality rentals who would help any contender. Gray's full no-trade clause could be an obstacle, though. Boston could also gauge the market for Willson Contreras, who has been their best player all season, but he's under contract next year and they don't absolutely have to trade him. I bet the Red Sox push Brayan Bello in trade talks and try to find a taker for his contract, which will pay him $44.5 million from 2027-29. He's currently in Triple-A. Best fits: Cubs for Chapman, Braves for Gray
11. C Ryan Jeffers, Twins
12. SP Joe Ryan, Twins
Byron Buxton insists he's staying in Minnesota, and I'm going to take him at his word. Jeffers is on the mend following hamate surgery and is expected back ahead of the deadline, which will give interested trade partners a chance to see him post-surgery. Teams don't like to bring in a new catcher in the middle of the season because there is so much to learn on the fly (pitching staff, game plans, etc.), but sometimes they have no choice, plus Jeffers brings high-end offense for the position. Unlike Jeffers, Ryan is not a rental. He'll remain under team control in 2027. The Twins don't have to move him, but if they hold him at the deadline again, they won't get as much in return in the offseason or at the deadline next year. Teams will give up more for two postseason runs of Ryan than they will for one. Minnesota could also look to capitalize on Kody Clemens' power binge and make him available at the deadline. Best fits: Yankees for Jeffers, Padres for Ryan
13. 2B Luis Arraez, Giants
14. SP Robbie Ray, Giants
I wish president of baseball operations Buster Posey luck moving his high-priced players: Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers, and Jung Hoo Lee. Chapman is the best and most appealing player there, and a) he's 33, b) he's owed $100 million from 2027-30, and c) he was just placed on the injured list with an abdominal strain. Arraez and Ray are rentals having strong seasons. A sensational season, in Arraez's case. He's improved his defense and there is no better bat-to-ball hitter in the game. Ray chews up innings and he allowed an earned run in only one of his five June starts. There are a few contenders who might try to snag Arraez and Ray in a package deal and address two needs with one trade. Best fits: Rangers for Arraez, Diamondbacks for Ray
15. OF Lane Thomas, Royals
The overall numbers are not good, but Thomas works quality at-bats and is a very good on-base guy against lefties. At a time when there are few quality righty-hitting outfielders available, Thomas has appeal as a platoon option and role player. He's a rental too, as is Starling Marte, who is having more success against righties than lefties this year, but is still a decent enough platoon option. Rental starter Kris Bubic has not pitched since May 14 because of a balky elbow, and he just came down with a shoulder issue during his rehab, but he could still move at the deadline. The Royals can't expect much in return, though. Best fit: White Sox
16. 3B Eugenio Suárez, Reds
17. SP Brady Singer, Reds
The Reds have baseball's second-worst record since May 1. They have crashed so hard and so fast that it's clear they should sell at the trade deadline. Hunter Greene's return this past weekend isn't enough to keep them afloat. Suárez could get traded as a rental for the second straight deadline (it didn't work out so well for Seattle last year) and offers righty power at a time when righty power is in short supply. Singer is just a back-end innings guy at this point, but hey, teams need back-end innings guys too. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe is having a nice year and could help some clubs. Lowe and Singer are rentals like Suárez. Best fits: Pirates for Suárez, Athletics for Singer
18. OF Lars Nootbaar, Cardinals
19. SP Dustin May, Cardinals
POBO Chaim Bloom seems unlikely to deviate from his long-term plan even as the Cardinals surprisingly hang around the wild-card race. There have been times May has looked like a legitimate ace this season and plenty of contenders would be happy to roll the dice on that upside. He's a rental. Nootbaar is not; he will remain under team control in 2027 and he's played quite well since returning from dual heel surgery last month. There's a strong chance Nootbaar will be the most productive hitter with his new team among players traded before Aug. 3. Reliever JoJo Romero, a rental lefty, is the Cardinal most likely to be dealt at the trade deadline. Best fits: Guardians for Nootbaar, Marlins for May
20. SP Luis Castillo, Mariners
Six good starters is a good problem -- "problem" -- but keeping everyone happy has created some headaches for the Mariners. The piggyback system worked great for a while, then they backed off, then they were going to do it again, then they decided not to. If the Mariners trade a starter, Castillo is the obvious candidate to go because he's the oldest and most expensive. They'll likely have to eat money to facilitate a trade (he's owed $22.75 million in 2027 with a $25 million vesting option for 2028), but it could be worth it. Seattle would save some money, create a more functional pitching staff, and improve another part(s) of the roster. Best fit: Astros
21. RP Pete Fairbanks, Marlins
22. SP Sandy Alcantara, Marlins
At 20-6, the Marlins had baseball's best record in June, and they're firmly in the wild-card mix now. I'm fascinated to see how POBO Peter Bendix handles the trade deadline. Does he stick to the long-term plan and ship out Alcantara ($21 million club option for 2027) and/or Fairbanks (rental)? Or does he hang onto them and try to get Miami to the postseason? Heck, will he buy at the deadline? More than maybe any other team, the next four weeks will have a major impact on what the Marlins do at the trade deadline. Best fits: Yankees for Fairbanks, White Sox for Alcantara
23. OF Jo Adell, Angels
24. SP Reid Detmers, Angels
25. SP José Soriano, Angels
Does anyone know what the Angels will do at the trade deadline? They fired GM Perry Minasian two weeks ago, which could mean they'll have a deadline fire sale and begin a true rebuild, but who knows? The Angels don't always act rationally. Detmers and Soriano will both remain under team control through 2028 and that gives them significant trade value, assuming the Halos actually make them available. Adell has one more year of team control, and although he's not having a particularly strong season, he can play the outfield and offers righty power. Plenty of teams need someone with that exact skill set. Best fits: Padres for all three
