5 most interesting Trade Deadline bubble teams

A glance at the MLB standings gives you a pretty good idea of which teams will be looking to add and which teams will be looking to sell ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline.

But there are a bunch of teams residing in the middle ground, uncertain of which direction they will pursue. Will they buy for the present or focus more on the future? The time to make that decision is approaching quickly, and if you're wondering which will-they, won't-they teams to watch closely over the next couple of weeks, look no further than these five clubs below.

All statistics updated through Wednesday.

• Trade Deadline rumors

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels trail only the Yankees among American League teams in home runs (125). They sit just 2 1/2 games out of a playoff spot and, with a 42-43 record, could reach the All-Star break with a .500-or-better record for the first time since 2021. That's good.

Even with all that power, the Angels rank 10th in the AL in OPS (.703) because of their .296 on-base percentage. Their expected record (38-47) is significantly worse than their actual mark because of a minus-50 run differential, eighth-worst in the Majors. That's bad.

Recent history tells us the Angels won't wave the white flag easily. Remember when they acquired Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López, C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk in separate deals in the final days leading up to the 2023 Deadline? They were further back in the Wild Card standings and had more teams to pass at that point than they do now -- although their record and run differential were better.

But that expected record doesn't lie. FanGraphs gives the Halos a 6.7% chance of making the playoffs, the lowest odds of any team on this list. Their pitching staff ranks 24th in ERA (4.56) and 28th in strikeout-minus-walk rate (10.4%). Plus, they have some players on expiring contracts -- closer Kenley Jansen, infielder Yoán Moncada, starting pitchers Tyler Anderson and Kyle Hendricks -- who could be attractive pieces to several clubs. Outfielder Taylor Ward, a player who has been in the trade rumor mill for more than a year, is under club control through 2026. But with him on pace for 38 homers this season, his market value may be no higher than it is right now.

The safe assumption is that the Angels will do what they can to squeeze as much juice as possible out of this year's squad; next year can wait for next year. Whether that's the most prudent course is a separate issue.

Texas Rangers

Staying in the AL West, the Rangers are basically in the same spot as the Angels: One game under .500 (43-44) and 2 1/2 out of a playoff spot. How these two teams act at the Deadline will hinge largely on how they play against each other since the division rivals will meet seven times -- all in Southern California -- between July 7 and July 30.

If the Rangers decide to be Deadline buyers, it would be easy to see why: A team with Cy Young-caliber Jacob deGrom, a now-healthy Nathan Eovaldi, and Tyler Mahle (eventually) would not be an easy out in a short postseason series. That crew is backed by a bullpen with a 3.34 ERA, fourth-best in MLB. Get a bat (or two) and hope that the rest of the lineup, which has been scuffling for most of the year, plays up to its potential.

• Answering the AL's biggest questions as Trade Deadline looms

Yet it's unclear when Mahle will come back from his right rotator cuff strain. He was recently shut down from throwing. It will be interesting to see if Texas can withstand his absence since the rotation beyond those three aforementioned hurlers has a 4.62 ERA. If they can't pick up the slack, it's worth noting that key pieces of the Rangers' relief corps -- Hoby Milner, Luke Jackson, Shawn Armstrong, Chris Martin -- are all pending free agents. Jacob Webb has one year of club control remaining. Every contender is searching for bullpen help around the Deadline, and the Rangers could make a huge impact in that market if they decide to sell.

St. Louis Cardinals

This season for St. Louis was supposed to be, in the words of president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, "a reset." They lowered payroll. They were in trade discussions with the Astros regarding third baseman Nolan Arenado, but the eight-time All-Star put the kibosh on that. This was supposed to be a season in which the Cardinals gauged what they had for the future before Chaim Bloom steps into Mozeliak's role in 2026.

But before that happens, the Cardinals might be forced to attack 2025. They entered Wednesday at 47-41, one percentage point behind the Padres for the third NL Wild Card spot and just five games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs. They could play for October by finding a way to augment a starting rotation that has room for improvement behind 35-year-old ace Sonny Gray and left-hander Matthew Liberatore, who is in the middle of a breakout season. But given that decreased payroll, just how much will they buy?

If the weeks ahead don't go in the Cards' favor, they could revisit the possibility of an Arenado trade, something that would no doubt grab headlines across MLB. The 34-year-old has about $40 million left on his contract, which runs through 2027. The Cardinals also have two late-inning relievers -- closer Ryan Helsley and setup man Phil Maton -- who will be free agents at season's end and popular trade chips.

Arizona Diamondbacks

D-backs general manager Mike Hazen is planning on being a buyer at the Trade Deadline. He has said so in recent weeks. Repeatedly. And with Arizona just three games out of a playoff spot, there is still hope that Hazen's plan comes to fruition.

But ultimately, the attrition may be just too heavy a burden. The D-backs are without their most dynamic position player, Corbin Carroll, due to a fractured left wrist, although there is a chance he could return before the All-Star break. They are also missing their best starting pitcher (Corbin Burnes) and best reliever (Justin Martinez) for the rest of the season as each has undergone Tommy John surgery.

That bullpen, which has taken on numerous injuries, is also a chief reason why the D-backs lead the NL with 28 blown-lead losses. The 'pen will have to be addressed if they want to make a real push toward the postseason.

But what makes Arizona so interesting is that if it does declare itself open for business, it could control the Deadline like no other club with its list of talented players on expiring contracts.

• Answering the NL's biggest questions as Trade Deadline looms

Need a third baseman with 40-homer pop? Eugenio Suárez is on pace for 49 dingers. Across the infield, first baseman Josh Naylor is batting .303 with an .828 OPS. Starting pitcher Zac Gallen has had a rough campaign (5.65 ERA, career-low 21.9% strikeout rate), but he had a career 129 ERA+ entering 2025, including a 115 ERA+ last year. Rotation mate Merrill Kelly has fared better this year (3.55 ERA and 3.48 FIP over 104 innings), and both starters know what it's like to pitch in the World Series. Finally, reliever Shelby Miller, who has taken over for Martinez as Arizona's closer, owns a 2.09 ERA over 35 1/3 innings and a fantastic 36.1% chase rate.

Those five players could make Arizona the epicenter of the action at the Deadline.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves have been fighting an uphill battle since Opening Day. They lost their first seven games of the season and, despite all of the scratching and clawing from a roster full of stars, the Braves came into Wednesday exactly where they basically started: seven games under .500 (39-46).

The franchise with seven consecutive postseason appearances and MLB's third-best winning percentage over that period (.586) is on the fringes of the playoff picture, 6 1/2 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot and with four teams standing in their way. Lineup staples such as Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II have grossly underperformed while the rotation has been wrecked by injuries, most recently to right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach. That has put Atlanta in a position no one saw coming: possible Trade Deadline seller.

Atlanta doesn't have a glut of obvious trade candidates. Relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias and designated hitter Marcell Ozuna are its two most prominent players headed for free agency this winter. However, Iglesias and his 5.28 ERA won't be too appealing among the crop of relievers who could be available. Ozuna is still a productive hitter, but after back-to-back years with a .900-plus OPS, he's at .760 in his age-34 season.

The Braves may end up holding steady and adding to the edges of its roster while hoping that Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley and company can keep the team afloat long enough for a stretch run that includes the returning Schwellenbach and Chris Sale.

But the fact this team's Deadline approach is nebulous at all is fascinating.