Major League Baseball’s annual Trade Deadline is two months away, but it feels like we’re still weeks away from having a good idea of which teams may be doing the buying and selling.
Entering this week, all but two teams in the Majors were within seven games of a postseason spot, though a dozen of those teams had a sub-.500 record. The American League is a true toss-up at the moment, with the 29-31 Blue Jays occupying the third and final Wild Card spot, leaving all nine other teams with losing records still within shouting distance of October.
Deadlines create urgency, so we may not have a solid grasp on the trade landscape until we get much closer to the Aug. 3 Deadline. Still, it’s never too early to speculate, so here are 10 pressing trade-related questions that will shape the conversation during the next two months.
Which teams are likely to be sellers?
The Giants and Rockies were the only teams more than seven games out of a playoff spot entering the week, and given the National League’s performance this season -- 11 of 15 teams have winning records -- it seems unlikely that either San Francisco or Colorado will climb back into the race.
The Giants have some impending free agents, including Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray, who figure to be moved, but could San Francisco try to do a bigger reset and trade some of its bigger contracts?
Colorado doesn’t have as many assets to deal, though starter Tomoyuki Sugano and relievers Antonio Senzatela and Brennan Bernardino could have some value to contenders.
Which teams are likely buyers?
A total of 23 clubs entered the week either in postseason position or within three games of a spot, though seven of those AL teams had losing records. How those teams fare in the coming weeks will separate the buyers from sellers.
The Rays, Yankees, Blue Jays, Guardians, Mariners, A’s, Rangers, Braves, Phillies, Brewers, Cubs, Reds, Pirates, Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks all figure to be buyers to some extent as of today, though a lot can happen between now and the beginning of August.
Which teams fall somewhere in the middle?
Deciding whether to buy, sell or stand pat can often involve more than a team’s record, though the standings will surely play a significant role. Preseason expectations can influence that decision – for instance, the Red Sox, Orioles, Tigers and Royals all had postseason aspirations entering the year – making it more difficult for those clubs to wave the white flag and become sellers. If a playoff spot is within realistic reach, these teams could look to buy.
The Nationals, Cardinals, White Sox, Twins and Marlins were all in various stages of rebuild, yet their performances in the first two months of the season may warrant trying to add to the roster to make a playoff push if they remain within reach of a playoff spot. It’s unlikely that any of these young clubs would deal away top prospects that could impact their long-term plans, but even adding on the edges would be a positive message to their fans and players alike.
You’ve mentioned 29 teams so far. What about the Mets?
Arguably the most disappointing team in 2026, the Mets entered the week at 26-33, leaving them 13 1/2 games behind the Braves in the NL East and 5 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot.
President of baseball operations David Stearns will have to decide whether this season is salvageable, though given the Mets’ lofty payroll, it would be a surprise for him not to wait as long as possible to give his team a chance to realize its potential, especially with Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Francisco Alvarez and Kodai Senga all expected back sometime in June.
A turnaround could prompt Stearns to be a buyer, though the more likely scenario would be standing pat, allowing the returning players to serve as midseason reinforcements. If the Mets continue to falter and fall further back in the race, they could look to move whatever pieces they can, starting with ace Freddy Peralta, who is headed for free agency after the season.
Will the Tigers trade Tarik Skubal?
This has been a popular topic for several months, but the Tigers’ disappointing start to the season -- Detroit’s 22-38 record entering the week was tied with Colorado for the worst in the Majors -- has only hastened calls for a trade of the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who would undoubtedly be the biggest name on the market.
Skubal will be a free agent at the end of the season, so unless the Tigers move him this summer, they will receive a compensatory Draft pick if he signs elsewhere. Given that the two sides have been far apart in extension discussions, it appears as though Skubal will wind up elsewhere in 2027 and beyond.
The biggest question surrounding a potential trade will be Skubal’s health. The lefty is working his way back from last month’s elbow surgery, and as long as he proves that the issue is behind him, Skubal should command a healthy return if the Tigers decide to move him.
Can Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays’ offense recapture their 2025 identity to power another postseason run?
Toronto’s starting rotation has been ravaged by injuries this season, but Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer should return to provide help to a group that has held its own with the sixth-lowest rotation ERA in the AL.
The offense, on the other hand, has been uninspiring. The defending AL champs rank 11th in runs scored and 13th in OPS, with only one hitter (Kazuma Okamoto) hitting more than six home runs. Guerrero is hitting .298 with a .392 on-base percentage, but the slugger hit only three home runs in his first 58 games, looking nothing like his usual imposing self.
Can the Blue Jays’ offense turn things around? Toronto’s run to the World Series last fall created big expectations for 2026, and despite the injuries and slow start, the Blue Jays are in position to make the playoffs. Will general manager Ross Atkins make a splash at the Deadline to increase those chances?
Will the Padres focus on a bat, arm or both?
Speaking of teams with playoff expectations, the Padres entered the week atop the Wild Card standings, trailing the first-place Dodgers by 5 1/2 games in the NL West.
The health status of Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta will help president of baseball operations A.J. Preller sort out his priorities heading into trade season. If he’s confident that both will be healthy – something he may not know for several weeks – he could shift his focus to the lineup. If not, then adding starting pitching will likely be the move.
The Padres rank next-to-last in the NL in both runs per game and OPS, and while adding a bat would help the situation, San Diego will likely rely on bounce-backs from star players including Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts, all of whom carry a sub-.700 OPS.
Will the Rays ride their early season hot streak to an aggressive Deadline?
Tampa Bay has been aggressive in past years when they have been legitimate AL East contenders (as opposed to targeting a Wild Card berth), so the Rays’ impressive start could have president of baseball operations Erik Neander thinking big this summer.
In past years, he’s traded for Nelson Cruz, tried to trade for Kris Bryant and even considered a move for Shohei Ohtani, so you can’t rule anything out – a trade for Skubal, perhaps? – for this creative front office. The Rays have a very deep farm system from which to deal, so any player that could help them take aim at a division title could be in play if they continue playing at this level.
Will the Mariners be a big player at the Deadline?
Seattle carried a six-game winning streak into the week, vaulting them into first place in the AL West. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has never been shy about making a big move, acquiring both Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez prior to last year’s Trade Deadline.
Those moves helped the Mariners make a run to the ALCS, creating excitement and expectations for a team that has never been to the World Series. Seattle has needs – namely a right-handed power bat who can play third base, corner outfield or DH – and Dipoto has found ways to get creative on the trade market over the years.
Will the Marlins finally trade Sandy Alcantara?
A popular name on the trade market for a couple years, Alcantara has proven his arm is healthy since missing the 2024 season following Tommy John surgery. He threw 174 2/3 innings in 31 starts last season and has already thrown 75 1/3 frames in 12 starts in 2026. The quality of those innings, however, has not been the same as his 2022 Cy Young season, as he’s posted a 5.15 ERA since returning last year.
The Marlins have internal concerns that Alcantara may never regain that Cy Young form, but with a $17 million salary in 2026 and a $21 million club option for 2027, another club may be willing to acquire him, hoping a change of scenery can help him. The question will be how much the Marlins are asking in return for Alcantara, who is unlikely to bring back the same type of package he would have a year or two ago.