8 candidates for a change of scenery at the Trade Deadline

A prospect mired in an organization with a lack of opportunity. A long-time veteran looking like his best days are behind him. A pitcher playing in a hitter-friendly environment.

There are several different types of players who qualify as “change of scenery” candidates, those underperforming in their current situation who may benefit from a move to a new organization.

• 1 trade chip for every team ahead of 2026 Deadline

With the Trade Deadline less than two months away, let’s take a look at eight players (listed alphabetically) who may fall into that category. (All stats through Sunday.)

Jake Burger, 1B, Rangers

Burger hit 63 home runs and 51 doubles with a .793 OPS with the White Sox and Marlins in 2023-2024, but his two seasons in Texas haven’t seen the same type of power production. The 30-year-old hit 16 home runs and 15 doubles with a .687 OPS in his first season with the Rangers, and while he has 10 homers in 63 games this season, his .705 OPS is largely the result of a paltry .290 on-base percentage, the second straight season he’s sat below .300.

Burger is earning $3.2 million this season and is arbitration-eligible for two more years, and while he hasn’t been the same hitter in Texas, he’s shown he can be a serious power threat in the past. MLB Pipeline ranked the Rangers at No. 25 on this year’s organizational rankings after Texas dealt a haul of prospects for MacKenzie Gore this winter, so Burger could be an intriguing piece of a deal for a team looking for raw power.

Michael Lorenzen, RHP, Rockies

Lorenzen has shown flashes of being a solid Major League starter in recent years, including a 2023 All-Star selection as a member of the Tigers. His move to Colorado hasn’t worked out (8.01 ERA in 14 games), specifically at Coors Field, where Lorenzen has a 9.67 ERA in six home starts.

While his Statcast numbers suggest Lorenzen hasn’t been effective in general, he has been above league-average in walk rate (68th percentile) and ground-ball percentage (61st percentile), while his FIP is nearly three runs lower than his ERA. A move to a friendlier ballpark and a more defense-oriented club could help Lorenzen turn things around.

Tyler Mahle, RHP, Giants

Mahle signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Giants last winter after posting a 2.18 ERA in 16 starts while also missing three months with right shoulder fatigue. Injuries have been a significant issue for the 31-year-old, but when he’s been healthy, he’s shown the ability to be a solid presence in a rotation.

That hasn’t been the case with San Francisco, where Mahle had a 6.04 ERA in 11 starts before landing on the injured list with a hamstring strain. The Giants entered the week with the second-worst record in the NL, so if they wind up selling, Mahle could be viewed as a potential target from clubs seeking back-end rotation help.

Bo Naylor, C, Guardians

Naylor’s poor performance early this season prompted the Guardians to acquire Patrick Bailey from the Giants, sending Naylor to Triple-A. Naylor’s most productive offensive season (11 home runs, 32 RBIs, .809 OPS in 67 games) came in 2023, when he posted a career-high 2.1 fWAR, but he hasn’t been able to replicate that in the two-plus years since.

Cleveland’s catching logjam -- Austin Hedges and David Fry are also on the roster, while Cooper Ingle (the club’s No. 3 prospect) is performing well at Triple-A -- could make Naylor expendable, and a move to a new organization might benefit the 26-year-old Naylor, who is under club control through 2029.

David Peterson, LHP, Mets

Peterson has shown the ability to be an effective starter at times during his seven-year big-league career, but the 30-year-old has struggled this season (7.56 ERA in seven starts), resulting in his recent demotion to the bullpen, where he has actually thrived (1.88 ERA in 24 innings over six appearances).

The left-hander posted a 2.90 ERA in 21 starts in 2024, then made his first All-Star team last season, but with free agency only months away, his lack of a clear role could make him an ideal trade option for clubs seeking mid-to-back-end rotation help.

Davis Schneider, 2B/LF, Blue Jays

After producing in a part-time role last season, Schneider struggled badly this season, getting optioned to the Minors last month. The 27-year-old is an ideal fit for Toronto’s roster given his right-handed bat and positional versatility, but his poor performance and a logjam in the outfield have him facing an uphill battle to get back to the Majors.

Unless Toronto looks to trade from the top level of its 15th-ranked prospect list, the Blue Jays may have to dip into their Major League-ready pool to make deals this summer. Schneider could be used in such a trade -- possibly for bullpen help -- as the Blue Jays look to bounce back from their sluggish start.

Matt Shaw, UTIL, Cubs

Shaw’s 2025 rookie campaign presented promising signs for the future, but the Cubs signed Alex Bregman as a free agent in the offseason, then inked Nico Hoerner to an extension in March, relegating Shaw to a super-utility role in Chicago.

The 24-year-old has only 104 plate appearances this season (he went on the injured list on May 22, but he should be activated for Tuesday's game in Denver). With both second and third base locked up for the foreseeable future, Shaw appears to be a player without a home on the diamond. If the Cubs view him as an outfielder, there could be a spot for him after this season with both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki headed to free agency, but he’s a natural infielder best-suited for either second or third.

The Cubs figure to be in the market for a starting pitcher this summer, and given that their farm system has fallen from MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 ranking two years ago to No. 23 prior to this season, Chicago may have to deal from its big league roster to acquire an impact arm. Switch-hitting infielder Pedro Ramírez -- Chicago's No. 2 prospect -- has filled in during Shaw's stint on the injured list, giving the Cubs a built-in replacement if Shaw was to be dealt.

Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Tigers

The Tigers expected Torkelson -- the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 Draft -- to be a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come, but the 26-year-old has alternated 31-homer seasons in 2023 and 2025 with unproductive campaigns, struggling to be the consistent force he has shown the ability to be. Torkelson has nine home runs in 65 games this season, though a five-game home run streak in late April accounted for more than half of his power production in 2026.

Torkelson is arbitration-eligible for two more years, though the Tigers have 21-year-old Josue Briceño (MLB Pipeline’s No. 64 overall prospect) working his way toward the Majors, giving Detroit a potential replacement for 2027. If the disappointing Tigers decide to reset at the Trade Deadline, Torkelson could be a risk-reward acquisition for a club seeking a power bat.