Each team's strategy heading into the Trade Deadline

The Aug. 3 Trade Deadline is fast approaching, and with it, potential moves that could shake up the balance of power and playoff races as we enter the regular season stretch run.

With that in mind, here's a look at each club's likely strategy for the Deadline, which could prove to be pivotal for teams that might just need an extra piece or two to make a deep October run.

Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

American League East

Blue Jays: This is beginning to feel more like a hybrid approach for the Blue Jays, who are likely sellers but could still be involved in buying some longer-term pieces. Treating this like their first crack at the offseason would be wise, with the starting rotation and outfield both clear needs in 2027 and beyond. This organization has the farm system to make (almost) any deal and can take on money, leaving it well positioned for trades with a long-term vision that don’t fall into the rental market’s traditional definition of buying and selling. There could still be room for some old-fashioned sales, though, including Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Daulton Varsho, George Springer and others on expiring deals. Jeff Hoffman could be an interesting name to monitor on the relief market, too. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: Although the O’s strategy could still swing either way, they’re likely to buy, believing they can make a postseason push during the final two months of the season. Their recent seven-game winning streak (which was snapped Monday night in Boston) may have been the type of stretch the club needed in order to convince the front office to add to the roster by Aug. 3. There’s a chance that Baltimore will do a little bit of buying and selling, possibly making players on expiring contracts (such as outfielder Taylor Ward or left-hander Trevor Rogers) available. But it feels like the Orioles want to improve their roster in a way that makes a run into October a stronger possibility. -- Jake Rill

Rays: Buy, with an eye on a first-round bye in October. President of baseball operations Erik Neander and his staff are expected to be aggressive in addressing Tampa Bay’s multiple needs as the club has surprisingly put itself in position to contend for the AL East title. The Rays have the kind of top-end talent it takes to succeed in the postseason, but there are holes on the roster -- and they have the organizational depth to think big. They could clearly use another proven hitter behind their big three. There’s room for another bullpen arm. And another front-line starter would make them even more dangerous down the stretch. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: The Red Sox look to be headed for the buyer’s lane in light of their recent surge, which has been one of the best in team history. Chief Baseball officer Craig Breslow is in the market for a bat. The question is: What position will that bat play? Catcher, middle infield and DH seem to be the best fits lineup-wise. Knowing full well that most of the recently successful postseason entries have one guy after another who throw heat out of the bullpen, expect Breslow to also look for a premium reliever to go with his already dominant duo of Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock. The Sox do have a strong inventory of Minor League pitching which they could deal from. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: The Yankees were already in the market for an upgrade at catcher before their lineup went cold, and now they also may be seeking another bat with Aaron Judge’s return still indefinite. A right-handed-hitting catcher to platoon with Austin Wells would be ideal. They would love to add at least one swing-and-miss reliever to their bullpen; Mason Miller is the dream scenario, but Brian Cashman has a good track record of finding in-season relief help. -- Bryan Hoch

AL Central

Guardians: The Guardians are positioned to be buyers. To what level remains to be seen. Cleveland consistently balances the present with the future, but it has a healthy farm system to make a splash for a push in a wide-open AL postseason picture. While the returns of José Ramírez and Angel Martínez will qualify as reinforcements, the Guardians could use another right-handed bat to bolster their offense and balance a lefty-heavy mix -- and any contender could benefit from added bullpen depth. An acquisition with control beyond this season could make a lot of sense. -- Tim Stebbins

Royals: Sell, but only so much. The Royals will not be in full selloff mode because they still believe in their core for 2027 and beyond. They’ll focus their efforts on trading players on expiring contracts and relievers, while trying to acquire upper-level pitching and hitting depth. The Royals will be open-minded when it comes to their veteran starters under control, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, but it would take a lot to move on from either one of those two. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: Expect president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg to take this decision to Deadline day, much like Dave Dombrowski did with the Tigers in 2015. Detroit's current playoff chances would point toward selling, as would the bevy of pitchers nearing free agency that the Tigers could deal for prospects, but the club's improved play over the last seven weeks gives it a better shot at a late-season run in a middling AL Wild Card race and a division in which nobody has run off. The Tigers could even strike a middle ground by trading pending free agent Tarik Skubal for a young Major League pitcher with controllable years who can help them now. -- Jason Beck

Twins: It’s trending closer to a sell, but another drastic selloff appears highly unlikely. There’s no appetite for a full rebuild. And if they get rolling again, the Twins absolutely could move back toward being buyers. The intriguing path to watch is in-between, where perhaps they trade from the Major League roster in order to add to their pitching. Walker Jenkins is waiting for an opportunity as soon as one opens on the big league roster. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: The White Sox weren’t supposed to be this good in 2026, but here’s the latest update: They really are that good. This group has earned the right to have general manager Chris Getz supplement a playoff team. Then again, Getz and his staff have meticulously rebuilt the White Sox into a contender ahead of schedule and won’t tear that situation apart to jump up for one season. He’ll look for guys who can help now and in the future, with a possible focus on catching after Kyle Teel suffered a high left ankle sprain during Monday’s victory over the Rangers and will be sidelined for 6-12 weeks. Pitching is always a focus for any contender, but don’t look for Getz to ship away any of his young core players. -- Scott Merkin

AL West

Angels: The Angels will be sellers but it remains to be seen how aggressive they will be under interim general manager John Mozeliak. He met with the media on Monday and discussed his strategy as the club weighs if it makes sense to trade players who are under control beyond this season. Starting pitchers José Soriano and Reid Detmers are both expected to attract plenty of interest but remain under team control for two more seasons. Shortstop Zach Neto is their most valuable piece but he’s not a free agent until 2030, and making those kinds of trades at the Deadline are rare. Otherwise, they’ll look to move impending free agents like Jorge Soler, Kirby Yates and Brent Suter. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: The Astros will be buyers. For now. The club is still in the thick of the AL West race and will try to make some moves to upgrade if it feels it has a shot to win the division at the end of July. Houston needs a left-handed bat, relief pitching and starting pitching, though getting all three seems very unlikely. If the Astros slip to six or seven games out of first place, or more, by the Deadline, they’re likely to stand pat and not make any trades. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Continuing to freefall over the past month, the A’s will likely sell, though don’t expect them to deal away any pieces of their young core. Outfielder Carlos Cortes and second baseman Jeff McNeil are players who could help a contending club. Shea Langeliers has been circulating in rumors, though it’s unlikely the A’s trade the All-Star catcher unless they get an offer that blows them away. Any moves will be geared toward acquiring pitching. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: They'll buy. And they could really use another power reliever -- preferably a proven one, too -- to pair with Eduard Bazardo in the setup role for closer Andrés Muñoz. They could also benefit from adding a right-handed bat, but that seems less likely, especially with a roster already crowded with position players. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: When president of baseball operations Chris Young addressed the media on Monday, he didn’t sound committed either way just yet. It’s understandable. The Rangers are within half a game of the lead in the AL West and remain in the thick of things when looking at the Wild Card race. But that says more about the American League than it does about the Rangers themselves, who have been hovering around .500 for much of the year. Corey Seager’s absence haunting the club’s potential is another complicating factor heading into the Deadline. -- Kennedi Landry

National League East

Braves: President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos is seeking a playoff-caliber starter to add to a rotation that currently has just one pitcher who would fit that description. Like every other contender, the Braves will also be in the market for a reliever. Ronald Acuña Jr.’s return from the injured list should bolster the offense. But look for Anthopoulos to also try to add a hitter who could fill the DH spot on those days when Drake Baldwin is behind the plate. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: As part of the cluster of teams bidding for the final two NL Wild Card spots, the Marlins won’t be selling anyone, so put those Sandy Alcantara rumors away for a few more months. But president of baseball operations Peter Bendix seems more likely to make additions on the margins rather than mortgaging any of the club’s future for a rental or two. Bendix has taken a buy-and-sell approach in each of the past two years, but with the Marlins in contention this season, he could look to do more of the former than the latter. Adding a right-handed bat would seem to be a priority. -- Mark Feinsand

Mets: It’s been apparent for some time that the Mets would be sellers, though the biggest question is which players they’ll be able to move. Starters Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes are likely to be dealt, as are relievers A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley. The intriguing question is whether any players under contract past 2027 could be in play. Would the Mets really trade Francisco Lindor? He has a full no-trade, so he controls his own fate. What about Francisco Alvarez? Right now, nearly anything is possible. -- Mark Feinsand

Nationals: The Nationals are in the Wild Card race, and their strategy depends on the team's performance leading up to Aug. 3. Unlike the past five seasons in which the Nats were definitive sellers, they could buy this year if they believe they can make a playoff push. If they decide to sell, shortstop CJ Abrams, first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. and left-hander Foster Griffin (expiring contract) are top trade candidates. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: The Phillies have been one of baseball’s best teams since Don Mattingly became interim manager on April 28, but they have several needs: bullpen, right-handed bat and No. 5 starter. But they also have one of baseball’s weaker farm systems, so it will be fascinating to see how much they do in regards to both quality and quantity. -- Todd Zolecki

NL Central

Brewers: They’ve been buyers almost every year since 2018, and they’ll be buyers again this year, but rarely do the Brewers make the big splash. More often, they add wisely or in the interest of depth, along the lines of Jordan Lyles when they needed pitching in 2018 or Carlos Santana and Mark Canha in 2023, when they needed bats. Those moves don’t always work -- the Brewers’ bullpen additions at the Trade Deadline have been particularly fraught -- but they also don’t come back to bite in terms of prospect losses. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: St. Louis has been another surprise team in this year’s race, but president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom is unlikely to become a big buyer regardless of how close the Cardinals are to a playoff spot. Bloom could look to thread the buy-and-sell needle, with impending free agent Dustin May and Lars Nootbar serving as the most logical trade chips. Adding starting pitching depth -- preferably controllable arms -- should be the focus. -- Mark Feinsand

Cubs: The Cubs will be buyers and this stretch before the Deadline could be important for the front office in determining how hard they’ll push in the pursuit of pitching. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has pointed to the first-round bye odds as an indicator of aggressiveness. What is clear is Chicago needs arms -- rotation and bullpen -- given the long list of injuries that have impacted the club all season long. The Cubs will look for smaller moves in the name of depth, but expect the North Siders to keep a big move in mind. That could be an impact starter or late-inning reliever, or perhaps even both. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: With the Pirates in the thick of the NL Wild Card race, they’ll likely be aggressive in finding ways to improve in their clear area of need: the bullpen. Pittsburgh’s offense is among the best in baseball, and the Bucs' starting rotation is improving with Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft and Jared Jones leading the way. Payroll is always a question mark for the Pirates, and they could attempt to clear some space by moving Marcell Ozuna or other bats. -- Aiden Stepansky

Reds: Based on their record, the Reds will be sellers. The only question is, how deep will they go? They have seven players who will be free agents at season's end with none of them expected to get qualifying offers if they sign elsewhere this winter. Leading this group are starting pitcher Brady Singer, slugger Eugenio Suárez and catcher Tyler Stephenson. But among players under contract or club control beyond 2026, president of baseball operations Nick Krall could get calls about super utility player Spencer Steer and starting pitcher Hunter Greene. -- Mark Sheldon

NL West

D-backs: Barring a collapse over the next 10 days, the D-backs figure to be buyers at the Trade Deadline. They have a number of pitchers returning over the next few weeks like starter Michael Soroka, closer Justin Martinez and possibly Zac Gallen. A few others, like starters Corbin Burnes and Ryne Nelson, should be ready in October. Given that as well as the performance of the bullpen to this point, the D-backs are likely to focus on adding a bat, specifically one at first base, a position that has been a sinkhole for them this year. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Even with Shohei Ohtani's pitching on hold for now and Will Smith being sidelined longer than expected, the Dodgers are more likely to improve on the margins than make any significant moves -- although they can never be counted out if the right opportunity presents itself. L.A. has the prospect capital to get big deals done, but could instead use its trade chips to make lateral moves to further strengthen the farm system. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: One of the few surefire sellers, the Giants will continue to hope they can unload one of their massive contracts (Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee), though it’s going to be difficult to find a match for those players. That said, San Francisco has two appealing trade chips in second baseman Luis Arraez and left-handed starter Robbie Ray, both of whom will be free agents after the season. Expect to see both rental players traded for legitimate returns. -- Mark Feinsand

Padres: The Padres want to buy. But it’s not so clear. They’re on the outside of the Wild Card race looking in, with an offense that has struggled for most of the season and a rotation with major question marks. They can address those issues at the Deadline. But only if they can assert themselves as viable contenders in the first place. The next 10 days will be critical. If they fall further back, there’s a case to sell and bring back some value for the future. There’s also a chance they stand pat. Or, they could mix and match, upgrading in some areas while dealing from others. Asked about his path earlier this month, general manager A.J. Preller noted: “All those things are on the table.” -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: Monday’s trade, which brought Triple-A pitcher Nick Frasso and Single-A outfielder Landyn Vidourek from the Dodgers for reliever Seth Halvorsen, revealed part of the strategy. Frasso is expected in the Majors soon, Vidourek will be developed -- and they gave up the type of young, hard thrower that they clung to in the past. There are also veterans all over the roster, so starting pitchers Tomoyuki Sugano and Michael Lorenzen, relievers Brennan Bernardino and Jimmy Herget, and outfielders Jake McCarthy and Mickey Moniak could be attractive to other clubs. While the Rockies are expected to be active, it would take a massive haul for them to depart with two-time All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman. -- Thomas Harding