Tarik Skubal is overwhelmingly the deadline's No. 1 target, but who's the next best player behind him? Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images, Mark J. Rebilas, Daniel Kucin Jr. / Imagn ImagesAnalysisJune 24, 2026 6:00 am EDT Updated It’s officially trade deadline season, and though there hasn’t been a Rafael Devers-level transaction to kick us off, consider that a byproduct of the deadline falling on Monday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET, the latest it can be set under the MLB’s current CBA.To this point, several smaller transactions have littered the wire, like Eric Lauer going from the Blue Jays to the Dodgers. That said, things should quickly pick up speed in the coming weeks.Welcome to The Athletic’s MLB trade deadline Big Board, a collection of 50 players that could move in the next five-plus weeks. This is the first of three Big Boards we’ll publish between now and Aug. 3.
As expected, Tarik Skubal, the American League’s reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, is this deadline’s best available player. Behind him are a collection of starters, relievers and position players, some of whom will be free agents at season’s end, and others who still have some level of club control.One player not included on our list is Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout. As The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal recently pointed out, Trout has given no indication that he wants to leave the Angels. The former three-time MVP has a no-trade clause, meaning he can nix any proposal.AL MVP candidate Byron Buxton, another player with a no-trade clause, is included, though a deal sending him from the Minnesota Twins looks unlikely for now.Some bookkeeping: The player’s listed age is how old he is on June 21, B/T is the classic bats/throws, the money owed is via Baseball Prospectus and covers only the days after Aug. 4, the WARs from 2024 to present are updated through June 21, the WARs for ’26 are a projection from now until the end of the season. Both are from FanGraphs.The likelihood of being dealt is a best-guess projection (from red as unlikely through yellow to green as likely) and the rankings are beyond reproach.Expand allCollapse allProfileAge29PositionSPB/TR/LDeal likelihood🟡The results haven’t been amazing since Skubal came back from surgery to remove particles from his elbow, but the underlying stuff seems unchanged. In terms of movement, spin, velocity, and pitch mix, he’s been as dominant as ever. So if the Tigers decide to sell, they’ll be able to get a big honking haul of prospects for their ace. Every fanbase for a contender will be rooting against the Tigers for the next month just for the chance their team wins the Skubal sweepstakes. Owed in 20269.5Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present14.1’26 proj1.6SPProfileAge32PositionCFB/TR/RDeal likelihood🔴 For the first time since his early 20s, Buxton has put together an extended stretch of health and shown that he is, in fact, one of the best all-around players in the game. His speed remains elite, his defensive metrics are roughly league average, and he’s hitting for as much power as ever. Buxton is a star and one of the WAR leaders in the sport. If he’s traded, he could be one of the most sought after players on the market, but are the Twins — after ripping their roster apart last summer — really going to trade the current face of their franchise? Owed in 20264.4Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present11.6’26 proj1.5CFProfileAge30PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟢 The non-Skubal pitching prize of the deadline, Ryan added a new knuckle curve to his mix this year and looks to be in the midst of a career year. That pitch is the best breaking ball he’s ever thrown, and putting that into an arsenal with a deceptive fastball and decent splitter means he’s cooking with gas. Yes, Ryan is a fly ball guy heading to the homer months with a lively ball. But he’s also had success while giving up homers in the past, and this new arsenal may help him avoid those issues this year. Owed in 20261.8Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present8.8’26 proj1.0SPProfileAge25PositionSSB/TL/RDeal likelihood🟡 Having a breakout, career-best season, Abrams is making a case as the best offensive shortstop in baseball. Outs Above Average considers him to be one of the worst defenders in the sport, but no shortstop — not even Bobby Witt Jr. — has a higher wRC+ this season. Still in his mid-20s and under team control beyond next year’s potential lockout, Abrams would be a massive trade chip, but only if the Nationals actually sell and get a return that’s worthwhile. The Nats have been one of the biggest surprises of the first half, and Abrams has two seasons of arbitration eligibility remaining. The Nats don’t have to move him, and even if they do discuss him, they can hold out for an overwhelming return. Owed in 20261.2Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present7.6’26 proj1.0SSProfileAge28PositionSSB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 World Series MVP as a rookie in 2022, Peña has been one of the game’s better shortstops for the past half decade, and he reached new heights last season when he was an All-Star and finished 10th in MVP voting. He missed a month on the IL this year but has otherwise been productive again. Two questions: Would the Astros trade him, and if so, how would teams value him given that his last season of team control comes with the threat of a work stoppage? Owed in 20262.8Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present9.9’26 proj1.2SSProfileAge31PositionOFB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Through his first four major-league seasons, Suzuki proved he could hit while leaving ample room to question whether he could actually play right field. This season, though, Suzuki’s bat has remained productive — a tick below past seasons, but still well above-average — while his defensive metrics also have been strong in right field. There is plenty of reason to wonder whether Suzuki will actually be traded — Will the Cubs sell? Will he waive his no-trade clause? — but if he’s on the market, Suzuki will have considerable value as a proven hitter who can — as of now — be trusted to regularly play the outfield. Owed in 20265.6Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present7.8’26 proj1.0OFProfileAge34Position1BB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Very little has gone as hoped for the Red Sox, but don’t blame Contreras for their disappointment. Acquired in an offseason trade, Contreras has, if anything, exceeded expectations. A three-time All-Star known for his bat, Contreras is on pace for the best year of his career at the plate, and his transformation from catcher to first base has yielded good grades on defense. He’s among the league leaders in wRC+ and could be one of the highest-WAR position players traded at the deadline. Owed in 20265.3Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present7.8’26 proj1.11BProfileAge26PositionSPB/TL/LDeal likelihood🟡 By some projections, Detmers is the second-best starting pitcher that could be available on the market. His stuff is above-average, he’s striking out 27 percent of batters, not walking anyone, and the lefty seems to have learned an approach that works against righties while he was in relief. He won’t even make three million dollars this year and is under team control for two more years. He’d bring in a relative haul in a trade. So of course the most recent news is that he’s off the market. Maybe. Owed in 20260.8Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present4.7’26 proj0.9SPProfileAge30PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 A new cutter has brought Alcantara back to a familiar place. He should again be above average when the year is over, mostly with bulk powered by avoiding walks and homers. Still, it’s been three years now since he's had a good strikeout rate. His days as a Cy Young contender seem over. A pro-rated slice of his $17.3 million salary this year and a $21 m club option for next year make him a little expensive given this quality. A well-heeled team might want the safe innings, though. Owed in 20265.5Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present3.3’26 proj0.8SPProfileAge38PositionRPB/TL/LDeal likelihood🟡 Chapman’s Red Sox renaissance has continued into another season. At 38, he’s as good as he’s ever been, posting an ERA barely above 1.00 since the start of last season. You know what you're getting with Chapman: high-octane fastballs and a slider that plays off of them. The key to his turnaround has been a reduction in free passes. Chapman’s walk rate had ballooned into the mid-teens before plunging to under 7 percent last year. It’s back above 10 percent this year, which is still a lot more manageable than it had been earlier in the decade. Owed in 20263.9Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present4.6’26 proj0.9RPProfileAge30PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟢 It’s possible that there’s more name value here than actual quality on the field. The artist formerly known as Fastball Freddie is showing a four-year low in fastball velocity and his overall stuff is down as measured by Stuff+, swinging-strike rate, and strikeout rate. Right now his peripherals suggest more of an average major-league starter than a guy that a contender needs to have in a playoff game. He’s gone on some pretty legendary streaks in the past when something clicks with a secondary, though. Owed in 20262.4Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present6.9’26 proj0.7SPProfileAge27Position3BB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Paredes has been the subject of constant trade rumors since the offseason. The Astros acquired him in the 2024 Kyle Tucker blockbuster, and he’s been an All-Star the past two seasons, but his offensive numbers are down this year and the underperforming Astros might want to cash in before deciding on a team option this winter. Paredes has played some first and second, but he’s mostly a third baseman with good on-base skills and 20-homer power. Owed in 20262.8Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present7.0’26 proj0.93BProfileAge32PositionRPB/TL/LDeal likelihood🟡 Hader’s looked just fine after missing the first two months of the season with left bicep tendinitis. Were he an impending free agent, he’d easily be one of the most sought after arms in the sport. However, he still has two years and $38 million left on his contract after this year, and he’ll turn 33 next April. That will likely suppress the return for a lights-out closer. Owed in 20265.6Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present2.3’26 proj0.6RPProfileAge29PositionCB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟢 Out since mid-May with a broken hamate bone, Jeffers could return in time to be the best offensive catcher available at the deadline. His defensive metrics have fluctuated over the years, but he’s been an above-average hitter each of the past four seasons, and his hot streaks at the plate have been tremendous. If he’s healthy, Jeffers could be an impactful target at a position that could have limited supply. Even if the Twins choose not to sell to the extent they did last season, it would still make sense to move Jeffers before he reaches free agency. Owed in 20262.0Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present5.3’26 proj0.5CProfileAge30PositionSPB/TR/LDeal likelihood🟡 In some ways, Griffin came back from Japan as advertised. He’s a low-velocity lefty with good command and a (very) wide mix of average-ish pitches. In other ways, he’s surprised. Despite the poor velocity, he’s managed to keep the slugging percentage on his fastballs in the low fours, and in some part he’s done so by having a better cutter than might have been expected. In the end, though, he’s still a low-velocity, wide-mix guy, so more of a back-end add to most contenders. Owed in 20261.6Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present0.7’26 proj0.7SPProfileAge33PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 First, he has to get healthy. After a line drive broke his leg, Holmes is targeting a return sometime in August. If he returns on the earlier end, he represents a safe ground-ball, mid-rotation type who can help this year and then is on a reasonable player option for next year at $12 million. A more cost-conscious team with needs all over their rotation might jump at the chance – but the leg has to heal. Owed in 20263.8Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present4.3’26 proj0.5SPProfileAge29PositionOFB/TL/RDeal likelihood🟡 An All-Star and down-ballot MVP candidate in 2024, Duran’s production slipped last season and has fallen off a cliff this year. His defense remains solid in left, and his speed is still a strength, but his chase rate is up, and his hard-hit percentage is down. He remains an intriguing talent, but his stock is slipping, and the Red Sox — who came into this season with more outfielders than they knew what to do with — might already have missed their chance to sell high. Owed in 20262.3Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present11.2’26 proj0.9OFProfileAge31PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Among potential relievers, O’Brien is perhaps the most intriguing. The former eighth-round draft pick pitched to a 2.06 ERA last season for St. Louis, flashing an elite fastball and extension. A season later, the extension and velocity are still there, but the results aren’t. Still, O’Brien largely limits hard contact and generates ground balls at a high level. That he won’t hit arbitration until 2028 and is controlled through 2030 makes him all the more fascinating. Owed in 20260.2Controlled through2030fWAR’24-present0.5’26 proj0.3RPProfileAge28PositionOFB/TL/RDeal likelihood🟡 One of the few veterans to survive the Cardinals offseason orster purge, Nootbar missed the first two months of the season but return in June looking sharp. If the Cardinals keep winning, they’ll surely hold onto their veteran bat, but if they slip, they’ve already made clear their intention to rebuild. Nootbar has played all three outfield positions, and he was a solid everyday player three of the previous four seasons (last year was the outlier). Owed in 20261.6Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present3.1’26 proj0.9OFProfileAge29PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟢 A team acquiring Abreu wouldn’t be doing so off what the right-hander has done this season. Trying to show he could be a closer in his platform year while Josh Hader was out, Abreu instead blew up to start the season and hasn’t yet recovered. The ERA is over six and the FIP is actually worse, inflated by a walk rate that has nearly doubled to 20 percent. Abreu still throws gas, still gets whiffs, and for the four prior years was one of the sport’s best set-up men. Maybe that guy is in there with a change of scenery. Owed in 20261.7Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present2.3’26 proj0.7RPProfileAge32PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🔴 Cano has rebounded from a subpar 2025 with a terrific start to this season. The right-hander excels at getting ground balls with his sinker/splitter mix, and he’s become even stingier with free passes this year. With two more years of team control, Baltimore doesn’t need to move Cano, though the ups and downs of most any reliever make it tempting to sell when the value is high, especially with someone who’s already 32 years old. Owed in 20260.5Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present1.2’26 proj0.2RPProfileAge28PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🔴 Is Gingergaard back? The red-haired May was once a super prospect with the Dodgers, but injury and inconsistent play led to a trip around the league. Now in St. Louis, he’s found his old release point and upped his fastball velocity. He’s striking more guys out with every month as he seems to be settling into the best version of himself. A team might get lucky and pay a back-end rental price for the righty and get a playoff starter for their efforts. Owed in 20263.7Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present2.9’26 proj0.8SPProfileAge32PositionOFB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 For six years now, Ward has been a consistently above-average hitter. He’s gotten there mostly with power and a low chase rate. This year, he’s gotten there with far less power but with an extreme uptick in walks. His barrel percentage is down, but so is his strikeout rate. His OPS is similar to recent years, but he’s gotten there with on-base percentage rather than slugging. An acquiring team will want that plate discipline, while hoping the old power returns down the stretch. Owed in 20263.6Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present6.9’26 proj1.2OFProfileAge24Position3BB/TR/RDeal likelihood🔴 The former first-round pick has found himself in a super utility role for Chicago, having played every position this season except catcher and shortstop. A Gold Glove finalist at third base last season, Shaw found himself the odd man out after the Cubs signed Alex Bregman in the offseason. Second (Nico Hoerner is signed through 2032) and first base (Michael Busch through 2029) are also seemingly off the table. In limited action, Shaw has posted an above average wRC+. Pedro Ramirez’s emergence, coupled with the Cubs’ need for a frontline starter could make Shaw a valuable trade chip. Owed in 20260.2Controlled through2031fWAR’24-present1.8’26 proj0.13BProfileAge29Position2BB/TL/RDeal likelihood🟢 If you’re reading this, you know Luis Arraez. Three-time batting champ. All contact, with minimal walks or power. He does what he does, except this year, he’s also played defense, posting an unusually high OAA in his return to second base. He can also play first and third, and the Giants have little reason not to trade him. Owed in 20263.5Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present4.9’26 proj0.62BProfileAge28PositionSPB/TL/LDeal likelihood🟢 The Royals lefty was a great story after converting from relief to put up a pristine ERA in over 100 innings in 2025, but he’s struggled to stay on the mound this year. He’s coming back from both shoulder and elbow issues and will have to at least demonstrate that those joints are working. And then teams will have to wonder how much of last year’s work was a fluke, given only slightly above-average strikeout rates and well below average velocity. He’s worth a shot in this year’s market either way. Owed in 20261.8Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present5.1’26 proj0.5SPProfileAge29PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 For his career, Mize has an ERA about a half-run lower at home than on the road (this year it’s three runs lower). With the ball acting more lively and the right-hander sporting one of the highest fly ball rates in the league, it’s fair to wonder if a lot more homers are coming. His current homer rate is about half his career norm, so you’d already look for regression there. If the price tag is more ‘get you to the playoffs than ‘help you win the World Series’ then he’s a fine acquisition. Owed in 20261.8Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present5.5’26 proj0.6SPProfileAge33PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 If you’re pessimistic about Castillo returning to his normal veteran form, then you’ll point to gradually declining stuff and strikeout rates, and the $24 million due to the righty in 2026, and the $25 million option that could vest for 2027, and you’d say no thanks, you’d have to give me prospects to think about this trade. Well, actually, even if you’re fairly optimistic about his future, you’d want the Mariners to pay down some of the contract, or accept very little in future talent in return. He’s 33 with a below-average strikeout rate. Owed in 20266.7Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present5.8’26 proj0.4SPProfileAge34PositionSPB/TL/LDeal likelihood🟢 In some ways, Ray’s arsenal is wider than ever. Increased use of the changeup and sinker has given him five pitches he uses regularly. But after some velocity loss on the breaking balls and movement loss on his fastball, he’s left with a wide assortment of mediocre pitches (hence the below-average strikeout and walk rates). Still a battler, his best use might be for a team that could use him on the back end and then move him to the pen for more lefty-oriented work in the playoffs. Owed in 20267.4Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present2.3’26 proj0.4SPProfileAge28PositionOFB/TL/RDeal likelihood🟢 Aside from the ankle injury that cost him a month, Moniak has had a nice second year with the Rockies. He can play all three outfield positions, and his offensive numbers have surged in Colorado. That offensive environment can be deceiving, but Moniak’s improved production has come with a higher walk rate, lower strikeout rate, more consistent barrels, and a higher hard-hit percentage. He had a 115 wRC+ with the Angels in 2023, too. Owed in 20261.2Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present2.1’26 proj0.3OFProfileAge31PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Some rough outings after six weeks on the IL with right elbow inflammation have raised his ERA and eyebrows. Helsley, after all, flopped as a deadline addition for the New York Mets last season before signing his two-year deal with the Orioles. There’s time between now and the deadline for the 31-year-old to look more like the best version of himself, and there are also encouraging signs. The strikeout rate is up after dipping last season. Owed in 20264.1Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present2.3’26 proj0.6RPProfileAge35Position1BB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 After a down year in 2025, Walker’s bat has bounced back. Now in his second year with the Astros, he’s hitting like he did the previous three years in Arizona. Defensive metrics no longer paint Walker as an elite fielder, but he has legitimate power, if the Astros sell, Walker could be in-demand for teams in need of right-handed pop. Owed in 20265.9Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present5.5’26 proj0.81BProfileAge29Position2BB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Expected to be a superstar when he arrived almost a decade ago, Torres has instead settled in as a solid, bat-first second baseman. He was an All-Star last year, and he’s put up even better offensive numbers this season, but he’s currently on the IL with an oblique strain that’s bothered him for much of the year (this is the second time he’s been shut down with that injury). If healthy, Torres is a known commodity and a potentially worthwhile rental, but the injury and the uncertain status of the Tigers are wrinkles. Owed in 20266.5Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present5.3’26 proj0.72BProfileAge38PositionRPB/TS/RDeal likelihood🟡 At 38, Jansen is no longer the shutdown closer he was earlier in his career. In his first year with the Tigers, he’s walking more than 13 percent of hitters and has blown four saves. It’s also been four years now since Jansen last pitched in the postseason — once an annual occurrence when he was with the Dodgers. The right-hander had a brief stint on the IL with pelvic inflammation at the start of June. Owed in 20263.3Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present2.0’26 proj0.1RPProfileAge28PositionOFB/TL/LDeal likelihood🟢 Bleday was a first-round pick of a team that traded him away. He had a breakout 2024 but was non-tendered in 2025. He signed with the Reds this offseason, didn’t make the Opening Day roster, and now has the best offensive numbers on the team. Bleday’s career has been a roller coaster, but his highs have been extreme, and he’s on pace for the best season of his career. He’s cheap with good numbers and remaining team control, an intriguing combination for any team that believes he can maintain this production. Owed in 20260.4Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present4.5’26 proj0.6OFProfileAge30Position1BB/TL/RDeal likelihood🟢 Signed to a minor league deal this offseason, the former Gold Glove winner and Silver Slugger has looked a lot like the hitter he was a few years ago with the Texas Rangers. His defensive metrics are more passable than elite, but Lowe’s hit for power while getting the vast majority of his at-bats with a platoon advantage against righties (he was also good against righties late last year with the Red Sox). Lowe is limited defensively to first base, but he can fill the strong side of a platoon while the Reds cash in on his bounce back. Owed in 20260.5Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present3.2’26 proj0.11BProfileAge29PositionOFB/TL/RDeal likelihood🟢 Since 2024, Larnach has hit right-handed pitching roughly as well as Jackson Chourio and Willson Contreras (they have nearly identical OPS vs. RHP). Larnach doesn’t hit lefties nearly as well, but as a strong-side platoon, he can be as impactful as far bigger names. His splits are even more pronounced than usual this season, but that’s in part because he’s been even better than usual against righties. The Twins might be hesitant to sell too much this summer, but Larnach’s contract status could have him on the block. Owed in 20261.3Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present3.0’26 proj0.3OFProfileAge32PositionRPB/TL/LDeal likelihood🟢 Minter has remained effective when he’s on the big-league mound, though that’s been far less frequent than he’d like over the last two-plus seasons. He missed the end of 2024 with Atlanta because of hip surgery, then missed 13 months with New York because of lat surgery. The injuries have taken a toll on his velocity, which has dipped about two miles per hour from where it was in 2024. But for a team looking for a late-game lefty, Minter is among the best options. Owed in 20263.3Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present0.5’26 proj0.2RPProfileAge32PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Fairbanks has mostly rebounded from a terrible April that ended with him sidelined with nerve irritation. Since coming back, he’s blown a single save for a Marlins team getting hot enough to be part of the National League playoff picture. Fairbanks’ strikeout rate is back over 30 percent, though it’s paired with a walk rate into double figures. Owed in 20264.0Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present1.7’26 proj0.5RPProfileAge27PositionOFB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Hitting 37 home runs last season suggested Adell might finally be living up to his old prospect hype, but even that came with a sub-.300 on base percentage and bad defensive metrics. This year, Adell is back to a below-average wRC+, but contenders might still like him as a platoon bat. He’s been excellent against lefties for three years now. Owed in 20261.5Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present1.5’26 proj0.6OFProfileAge33PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 After a brutal start to the season that cost him the closer role, Hoffman has worked his way back not some late-game spots with a much better June. The Blue Jays almost certainly won’t be sellers, so Hoffman would only make sense as a trade piece if Toronto felt it could swap him to another buyer for a more useful player coming back. If Hoffman is available, teams will look as much at that 35 percent strikeout rate as they will at that salary through next season. Owed in 20263.3Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present2.3’26 proj0.5RPProfileAge29PositionUTB/TS/RDeal likelihood🟢 Castro’s horrendous second half with the Cubs (a .485 OPS in 34) games did not stop Colorado from making an investment in the form of a two-year, $12.8 million deal. So far, its faith has been rewarded, as Castro has largely been a serviceable, league average bat. Castro’s batted ball data has never painted the picture of a star, yet he’s still just one season removed from a near-3 fWAR showing for the Minnesota Twins. Owed in 20261.9Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present3.8’26 proj0.5UTProfileAge31PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 The right-hander is now three-plus seasons removed from season-ending Tommy John, and the results continue to impress. This year, his sweeper has a Run Value of nine, the second-highest mark in the majors behind Shohei Ohtani. FIP suggests he’s been a teensy bit unlucky, and while he doesn’t generate a ton of chase or whiff, his overall strikeout rate is in the top 25 of all NL relievers. Owed in 20260.8Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present2’26 proj0.2RPProfileAge30PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Before he got hurt, Flaherty wasn’t good. Some of the worst command of his career paired with the worst fastball velocity of his career produced a bloated ERA supported by league-average peripherals. If the velo ticks back up once his ankle is right again, maybe someone will take a chance that they can get the good version for a couple months. Because of a quirky contract, his base salary for the year ($10 m) and Average Annual Value ($7.5 m) are on the manageable side. Owed in 20265.9Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present6.9’26 proj0.6SPProfileAge30PositionCB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 You aren’t going to find many catchers on this Big Board, and because of that, it’s hard to ignore the possibility of the Mets trading Torrens (despite signing him to a two-year extension in May). He’s a career backup who’s never hit a ton, but he receives high marks for his arm and pitch framing. For a team that needs help behind the plate, Torrens is at least a proven defender.Owed in 20260.7Controlled through2028fWAR’24-present3.0’26 proj0.2CProfileAge31PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟢 Typically, you take a starter who hasn’t performed in that role — usually because he doesn’t have enough pitches to work through an order multiple times — and trim his repertoire to what really works to see if he takes off as a reliever. Senzatela, who was one of the sport’s worst starters last season, took the opposite approach: His mix as a reliever is expanded, with five pitches he throws at least eight percent of the time. The primary numbers are better than the peripherals right now, and he's making starter money through next season. Owed in 20263.5Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present0.6’26 proj0.1RPProfileAge32PositionRPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟡 Detroit’s do-everything right-hander, signed out of the KBO last winter, has been a really useful piece to their pitching staff. His strikeout rate is almost 30 percent and he’s inducing chase and swings-and-misses well above the league-average rate. All eyes will be on Tarik Skubal as the Tigers decide what to do at the deadline, but Anderson is yet another intriguing arm the team could sell in a walk year. Owed in 20262.1Controlled through2027fWAR’24-present0.7’26 proj0.2RPProfileAge34PositionRPB/TR/LDeal likelihood🟢 Following three really strong years in Philadelphia, Strahm has had a horrendous start to his time with Kansas City. The ERA is over six, the FIP is over seven, and basically any peripheral stat has moved in the wrong direction. His velocity is down a tick for the second straight year, and his strikeout rate has plunged by 10 percentage points. It’s barely half of what it was in 2024 with the Phillies. He’s still about 25 innings removed from being an effective late-game reliever, but they’ve been 25 rough innings. Owed in 20262.2Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present2.6’26 proj0.2RPProfileAge30PositionSPB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟢 There’s bad velocity and then there’s Littell. Only one righty starter has thrown 70 innings and has a worse fastball than the Nationals’ righty. In a related matter, he’s also sporting the worst strikeout rate among starters, and the worst strikeout minus walk rate. His expected numbers suggest he deserves every bit of his ERA over five. He might get picked up for a spot start at best. Owed in 20260.9Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present2.8’26 proj0.3SPProfileAge34PositionDHB/TR/RDeal likelihood🟢 The 2021 World Series MVP has seen better days, combining for an OPS+ of 93 over the past two seasons with the Angels. His bat speed and barrel rate are above average, but his average exit velocity and squared up rate are trending in the opposite direction. Soler has never been one to shy away from a strikeout, but even by his standards things have plummeted. His strikeout rate has gone from 24.6 percent in 2024 to 31.3 in 2026, while his walk rate (13.2 percent in 2024) has plummeted to 9.1. His reverse splits (eight homers against right-handers versus one against lefties) also don’t bode well. His contract status and prior postseason pedigree is the only reason he’d be moved. Owed in 20263.6Controlled through2026fWAR’24-present0.6’26 proj0.2DHJun 24, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
