The MLB Trade Deadline is officially one week away. We already have one impact trade under our belts, and rumors are swirling around plenty of players across the league, so we asked the Rotoworld Baseball staff to vote on which players they felt were most likely to be moved at the deadline and what it might do to their rest of season value.
Players Most Likely to be Traded at the MLB Trade Deadline
Luis Arraez - 2B, San Francisco Giants (9 votes)
Nine staff members voted for this article, and every single one picked Arraez to be shipped off at the deadline. The reasons are pretty obvious. For starters, the Giants are not a contender, and Arraez is signed to a one-year, $12 million deal. He remains one of the best contact hitters in baseball and is slashing .327/.363/.451 on the season with four home runs, 50 runs scored, 40 RBI, and eight steals. What's more, he has taken his defense to a whole other level this season, not just becoming a competent fielder, but posting an Outs Above Average at second base of 11. That's one of the better marks in the league. Now, he does have a -1 Defensive Runs Saved, so not all metrics indicate he is a great fielder, but he's certainly a far better one than he's ever been. He's unlikely to bring back a major return for the Giants since he will be a two-month rental, but perhaps they could get an intriguing starting pitching prospect back. Arraez's fantasy value would then get a decent boost if he's able to land in a better lineup or better hitting environment. - Eric Samulski
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Rays, Dodgers, Yankees
Robbie Ray - SP, San Francisco Giants (7 votes)
Robbie Ray is one of the easiest trade candidates to envision this deadline, an expiring contract on a team that has underperformed internal expectations all season. While the 34-year-old's 3.16 ERA is his lowest since his Cy Young-winning season in 2021, the peripherals paint a different picture, led by a 4.81 xFIP. That stems from a K-BB% that has fallen well below his usual standard. Looking at his pitch mix, Ray has leaned on the sinker more this season. It gets fewer whiffs, but it might be aiding his ERA outperformance by inducing weak contact. His home/away splits are the bigger worry for the deadline, as he owns a 2.22 ERA at Oracle compared to a 4.35 mark on the road. The sinker story is interesting, but fewer strikeouts are a net negative in fantasy, and losing a spacious home park will only put more pressure on a declining whiff rate. - Brendan Tuma
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: White Sox, Brewers, Astros, Phillies
Freddy Peralta - SP, New York Mets (7 votes)
There's no question that Peralta has been one of the most disappointing players in the league this season. The Mets traded two well-regarded prospects for his services and expected him to be the front-line pitcher they've sought over the last few years. Instead, his 4.99 ERA is the second-highest among all qualified pitchers. Things don't look better under the hood either. His 22.1% strikeout rate is the worst mark of his career by a wide margin, his fastball doesn't have the same life, his stuff is down across the board, and his slider and curveball shapes have blended together far too often. Yet, don't be surprised if he still has a robust trade market. His very inexpensive $8 million salary this season will be attractive to practically every team, and his long track record of success means he can't continue to be this bad, right? When splitting out for his last handful of starts, his fastball has regained some vertical action, and he's done a much better job at creating distinct shapes between his sweeper and curveball. We've seen him have long bouts of inconsistency in the past before righting the ship, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him do so again once he's with a contender. - James Schiano
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Dodgers, Brewers, Astros, Phillies
Luke Weaver - RP, New York Mets (5 votes)
There's a chance that Weaver is the best relief pitcher on the trade market. He's in a three-year run of success since converting to the bullpen full time and currently has a career-low 1.93 ERA that came with a 24-appearance scoreless streak between May, June, and July. He allows very little hard contact, strikes plenty of batters out, and doesn't walk many either. Also, the dominance of his changeup makes him excellent against left-handed batters. While he's run into some problems against righties over the last few years, the Mets have helped him adjust his cutter to give it reliable glove-side movement again. It's helped take some pressure off his changeup against them, and he doesn't have a flaw in his profile. There's a chance that some smaller-market teams are slightly scared off by his $12.5 million salary next season, but that's a fair price for a reliever of his caliber. There are a handful of bullpen-needy teams that could go after Weaver to be their closer too, which would do wonders for his fantasy value. - James Schiano
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Pirates, Cubs, White Sox
Tarik Skubal - SP, Detroit Tigers (4 votes)
Only four of the nine staff members voted for Skubal to be traded, which seems to be reflective of the general odds around the league. The truth is that the Tigers absolutely should trade Skubal. They're 3.5 games out of the Wild Card, but even if they snuck into the playoffs, this is not a World Series contender. Given their arbitration battles with Skubal and their offseason free agent agreement with Framber Valdez, it also seems highly unlikely that Skubal will re-sign with the Tigers in the offseason. Letting arguably the best starting pitcher in baseball leave your team and getting nothing in return would be catastrophic for Detroit. Still, all indications are that the Tigers are not yet ready to "sell" at the deadline. Perhaps a poor week against the Orioles and Athletics would change that. Of course, Skubal's value wouldn't really change no matter where he lands because his value is already tremendously high. Maybe he could take a minor hit if he lands in a worse home ballpark or see a small bump if he lands on a team with a better chance at wins, but we're talking about one of the best pitchers in baseball, no matter where he's starting. - Eric Samulski
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, Cubs, Phillies
Luis Garcia Jr. - 1B/2B, Washington Nationals (4 votes)
Luis García Jr. has improved tremendously at the plate this season, as have many other Washington hitters. After popping 11 homers with a 200 wRC+ in June, now might be the time to cash in. García has been limited to a strong-side platoon role and has already moved down the defensive spectrum to first base, limiting his long-term appeal for a rebuilding Nationals club. His power-plus-contact skills have played up this season, but the chase and walk rates are a longer-term concern. A trade away from the Nats cuts both ways. It could theoretically open up more playing time, but this team leads MLB in runs per game and has gotten the most out of him. His 2026 fantasy value might be better served if he simply stays put come August 3rd. - Brendan Tuma
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Rays, Dodgers, Yankees
Dustin May - SP, St. Louis Cardinals (4 votes)
The Cardinals are still in the midst of a playoff race, so it may be a surprise to see us suggest they trade their best starting pitcher, but, much like with the Tigers, this is not a World Series contender, and May is on a one-year, $12 million deal. This has been the best season of May's career, but the wheels have started to wobble a bit of late, and he's been dealing with some bumps and bruises as well. He's still on pace to surpass last year's innings totals and has improved his swinging strike rate significantly over what we have seen since 2022. May isn't going to bring back a huge return, but a team like the White Sox would probably love to have him at the back of their rotation over what they're currently trotting out there. We just don't believe the modest upside of having May for a potential playoff rush outweighs the Cardinals getting something for the growth they've gotten out of him this season. - Eric Samulski
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: White Sox, Brewers, Astros, Phillies
Luis Robert Jr. - OF, New York Mets (4 votes)
We know that the Mets are sellers, and their outfield for the future is already set with Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing, and Carson Benge. The team would almost certainly decline Robert Jr.'s $20 million team option for next season, as would any team dealing for him, so this is going to be a rental. Considering Robert Jr. is also injury-prone, it's unlikely that the Mets are going to get much back for him, but he has some interesting underlying metricsthat I covered in a video last week. - Eric Samulski
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Braves, Astros, White Sox (haha, but also, they could use a right-handed outfielder)
Matt Chapman - 3B, San Francisco Giants (3 votes)
Chapman is one of several veterans the Giants will be looking to move as sellers at the deadline in what has been a massively disappointing season under first-year manager Tony Vitello. The 33-year-old third baseman has been a streaky hitter throughout his career, but has consistently managed to hit for solid power. That wasn’t the case through the first two months of the season, with only one home run through May. He started to come around with six homers in June before landing on the injured list with an abdominal strain on July 1. However, moving out of Oracle Park could be a boon for any hitter. In the field, he remains one of the better defensive players at the hot corner, which could be an asset for any pitching staff. Muddling his trade outlook are the injury, the four years remaining on his six-year, $151 million contract, and the full no-trade clause. Chapman would have control of his destination, and the Giants would likely have to settle for eating a significant portion of his remaining salary. Despite the obstacles, Chapman could be a valuable veteran piece on a competing team, helping a pitching staff while providing some power as a right-handed bat that many teams are seeking. - Jorge Montanez
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Mariners, Brewers, Pirates
Jake McCarthy - OF, Colorado Rockies (3 votes)
Have the Rockies ever traded players they should trade? It hasn't been a great run in recent years for this front office, but they have new people leading the charge, and so we expect some things to be different in Denver. Well, three of us do. McCarthy signed a one-year, $1.53 million deal this offseason in one of the better signings across the entire league. The 28-year-old is hitting .298/.340/.502 with 10 home runs, 58 RBI, and 17 steals. Even though many teams will know that Coors Field is responsible for a portion of that resurgence, McCarthy is sure to get a decent contract as a free agent next season. Even if the Rockies could match it, they are struggling to find at-bats for Charlie Condon, Cole Carrigg, and Zac Veen, so they need to free up spots in the outfield. Trading McCarthy for a young but intriguing starting pitcher who has the potential to emerge as a rotation piece in Colorado would be the logical move. Yet, moving away from Coors Field would certainly hurt McCarthy's fantasy value. The speed will still be there, but we'd expect the batting average to take a clear hit, and there's also a chance he moves into a strong-side platoon role and/or hits farther down in the order. Those would not be great changes - Eric Samulski
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS: Yankees, Rays, Braves
Others Receiving Multiple Votes: Taylor Ward - OF, Orioles (3 votes), Foster Griffin - SP, Nationals (3 votes), Mason Miller - RP, Padres (3 votes), Mickey Moniak - OF, Rockies (3 votes), Luis Castillo - SP, Mariners (3 votes), Eugenio Suarez - 3B, Reds (3 votes), Jasson Dominguez - OF, Yankees (3 votes).
