25 players who could be dealt at the MLB trade deadline

Among hitters, Bell could be the biggest prize of the trade deadline. The pending free agent has been an elite offensive performer again this year, hitting .304-12-47 with an .877 OPS through 87 games.

Benintendi hasn’t shown much power this season, with only three home runs in 83 games, but he can do everything on the field. He won a Gold Glove with the Royals last season, and is hitting .317/.389/.401 through 83 games. Benintendi will be a free agent after this season, but is a quality corner outfielder in the meantime.

Oakland generally knows when to sell high on high performers, which could be the right time to move Blackburn in his breakout season. The groundball pitcher had a 3.36 ERA through 17 starts, walking only 23 batters. With increased, he’s come of age in Oakland and could fetch a great return in a very thin starting pitching market with three years left of team control remaining.

It hasn’t always been pretty, but Bumgarner has been effective this season with a 3.65 ERA in 18 starts. The peripherals show the lefty could be in for regression sooner or later, and he’s still owed $37 million over the next seasons. Still, Arizona might be able to net a prospect in return if they’re willing to send some cash the other way.

Castillo is the big prize of the trade deadline, blossoming as an ace since returning from an arm injury earlier this season. He’s fanned well over one batter per inning for his career, with a high-90’s sinker and changeup. To this point, Castillo is displaying some of the best control of his career, and he remains under team control through next season. 

Colome has been highly effective as a setup man for the Rockies this season with a 2.73 ERA in 34 appearances. Of course, he also had 159 career saves, so he can fill in as a closer despite his inability to miss bats.

The Cubs have yet to re-sign Contreras, the last major holdover from their World Series. He netted his third All-Star Game this season, hitting .266/.394/.483 at the right time as he enters free agency. The catcher will get a huge contract in the offseason and would be a welcome addition offensively and defensively at the deadline.

Whether the 42-year-old Cruz is still worthy as a regular is up for debate, but there’s no doubt he can help a roster as a right-handed bench bat. He has a .689 OPS in 80 games this season, but for his career, Cruz has an elite .941 OPS against southpaws.

Drury is having a breakout season in Cincinnati, but it’s not as if he came out of nowhere. He hit double-digit home runs three times before this season, though injuries curbed Drury’s career. The veteran has been lightning in a bottle for the needy Reds lineup, hitting .277-18-50 in 76 games, and has the defensive versatility to help most contenders.

Once considered a possible ace as a starter, Fulmer has settled in as a quality reliever after arm injuries. He has a sub-2.00 ERA this season, though poor control shows it probably won’t continue. Still, the hard-throwing right-hander can help someone before heading into free agency.

Gallo’s career in the Bronx has been a nightmare, hitting .163-23-43 in 468 plate appearances since he was traded last season. A change of scenery would probably be good for team and player at this point, and there are likely plenty of teams willing to take a chance with three 38-plus home run seasons to his name.

Greinke has reinvented himself as his velocity continues to decline. He’s fanned a terrible 4.8 batters per nine innings but still slots in as a viable backend starter with a 4.52 ERA in 14 starts. A playoff run could be in the cards in what could be Greinke’s final season.

Colorado’s replacement for Trevor Story, Iglesias is quietly having another nice season. He’s hitting .297 for the Rox while playing reliable defense and could see a midseason trade to a contender to add depth like last season when he was traded to Boston.

Kuhl has been a pleasant surprise at the backend of Colorado’s rotation, with a 4.02 ERA over 16 starts. There is some reason to be skeptical with a poor strikeout rate and sub 2.00 K/BB ratio, but Kuhl has been effective by keeping the ball in the park. A pending free agent, he’s a nice flier down the stretch.

Oakland has no reason to give Laureano away with two more years of team control, but the high price could make a trade worthwhile. He’s generally been a solid defensive performer and showed star potential earlier in his career, hitting .288-24-67 back in 2019. Coming off a PEDs suspension, Laureano might do well with a change of venue.

With an uptick in velocity, Lopez has gone from struggling starter to superstar closer. He’s been absolutely dominant for the O’s this season with 16 saves and a 1.74 ERA in 38 outings, fanning over 10 batters per nine innings. Baltimore has him under control for two more seasons, but this is an opportunity to sell high.

Mahle would like to forget the early part of his season, as would the rest of his teammates, but he’s coming around. After posting a sub-4.00 ERA over the last two seasons, Mahle has a 4.48 ERA in 17 starts with nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings. He should be off the injured list from a minor shoulder injury after the break and is under contract for one more year.

Mancini made a remarkable return from cancer last year, and he continues to perform well for Baltimore this season hitting .284-8-35 with a .779 OPS in 78 games. A pending free agent at age 30, he’s unlikely to be a part of the rebuilding Orioles’ future and is very likely to be traded.

The Royals front office has seemed very resistant to the idea of trading Merrifield in the past. That likely changes with his struggles at age 33 this season, as Merrifield is hitting only .240-5-36 with 14 stolen bases in 84 games. He’s due only $4.5 next season and has the tools that competitive teams covet off the bench.

Oakland got a scare when Montas had a shoulder injury in early July, but it sounds like he will be okay. He’s one of the few viable pieces Oakland hasn’t traded yet, with a 3.26 ERA in 17 starts this season. He’s been an ace for much of the last four seasons and still has one more season under contract.

A former top prospect, Perez is finally reaching his potential this season. The lefty has a 2.72 ERA in 17 starts, showing exemplary control while allowing only six home runs in 106 innings. His history shows some likely regression, but the pending free agent remains one of the best starting pitchers available.

Pham can slap some people the wrong way, but there’s no doubt he can still play at age 34. He’s hitting .248-11-36 with seven steals and a .741 OPS through 77 games. Age has clearly taken a toll over the last few seasons, but he’s a quality right-handed bat.

The Pirates have gotten everything they could have hoped for from Quintana this season, as the lefty has revived his career after a few years of struggles. He had a 3.59 ERA in 17 starts, finding his control on a minimum one-year contract. The cheap control should put him in play to almost every contender.

After years of arm injuries, Robertson has proven he’s back as an excellent closer for the Cubs. He has 12 saves and a 2.10 ERA, with nearly 12 strikeouts per nine innings. As a pending free agent on a non-competitive team, Robertson is likely to be traded.

Syndergaard has seen much better health after years of injuries with the Mets this season, and the Angels are better for it. He has a 3.84 ERA in 13 starts, walking only two batters per nine innings. The stuff isn’t what it was at his best in New York, and Syndergaard is due a lot of money down the stretch. Still, he should fetch an excellent prospect or two with few alternative starting pitchers available.