To be bold is to be brave, and The Athletic\u2019s staff endeavored to do just that, singling out one potential outcome for each of Major League Baseball\u2019s 30 clubs ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Perhaps some of these will come true. Perhaps they remain pipe dreams. In seven days, we\u2019ll find out, for sure. Here are their predictions, in no particular order.<\/p>\n
Mason Miller gets traded … next year<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Miller has entered the conversation for most dominant closer ever, and multiple contenders are interested in prying him away from a middling team. But it was just a year ago that the Padres traded Leo De Vries \u2014 now baseball\u2019s No. 2 prospect \u2014 to acquire Miller, whom they still control for 3 1\/2 more years. San Diego eventually might be compelled to flip him for controllable starting pitching \u2014 and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller will at least listen to offers \u2014 but now feels a bit soon. \u2014 Dennis Lin<\/p>\n
They add a right-handed bat<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This might not be too bold, but given the way the season started, adding at the deadline was far from a certainty just a month ago. The Red Sox put themselves in the buyer column with the longest winning streak in the majors this season, and while their pitching has been top-notch, adding another power bat to lengthen the lineup for Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu will be key. Given their pitching depth throughout the majors and minors, it wouldn\u2019t be out of the question to see the club trading one of their pitching prospects like Kyson Witherspoon or Anthony Eyanson in a package for a bigger-name bat. \u2014 Jen McCaffrey<\/p>\n
Colorado extends Hunter Goodman<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maybe it comes before the deadline, maybe after. But Colorado seems keen on building around their best player, not trading him amid a lost season. Goodman could command a franchise-altering haul, given his pre-arb status and monster power numbers. The will they, won\u2019t they with Goodman is one of the most intriguing deadline questions, and how they handle Goodman could be reflective of how they view their young core as a whole. Keeping him could be seen as a vote of confidence that new president of baseball ops Paul DePodesta sees genuine building blocks. \u2014 Sam Blum\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke Weaver becomes a Ranger<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
He\u2019s not Aroldis Chapman, whom the Rangers acquired on their way to the 2023 World Series, but Weaver would represent a significant upgrade for a bullpen in need. The Mets, unlike Chapman\u2019s surging Red Sox, are definite sellers. The 2026 Rangers might not resemble World Series contenders, but amid the mediocrity of the American League West \u2014 and the overall parity of the AL \u2014 adding Weaver would give them a better shot than most. \u2014 Lin<\/p>\n
Tampa Bay makes a big splash<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Last time the Rays were in a particularly good position to buy at the trade deadline, their big move was for Aaron Civale (then they got knocked out in the wild-card round). The Rays will do more than that this year. They could use a bat, an arm and a catcher \u2014 so they could make almost anything work \u2014 and maybe they can even bring back Twins starter Joe Ryan, the player the Rays gave up in 2021 when they made their most recent trade deadline splash for aging slugger Nelson Cruz. \u2014 Chad Jennings<\/p>\n
Dipoto is tamer than usual<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Mariners have needs, plural, but so does every American League team, and that could stifle a Jerry Dipoto-led front office that typically has the poison ivy-like itch to wheel and deal. Dipoto won\u2019t be able to help himself. He\u2019ll do something. But the crowd of teams near the .500 mark, trying to size up where they stand in the division and wild-card races in the AL, will make it difficult for those teams to be aggressive. Also, this is a deadline in which ample starting pitching should be available, but that\u2019s the one thing the Mariners don\u2019t need. Maybe the Mariners work something out with the Reds, a familiar trade partner, for Spencer Steer and\/or Caleb Ferguson. \u2014 Zack Meisel<\/p>\n
Chicago adds much-needed starters<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The White Sox need two starting pitchers. Chicago\u2019s rotation is very top-heavy. Sean Burke and Davis Martin are both having very strong seasons. But both will exceed their career highs in innings within a few weeks, and there aren\u2019t many great options behind them. This is a club that could win the AL Central and get a postseason bye. That makes them legit contenders to make the World Series in a weak American League. They can\u2019t enter October with their current rotation, even if it\u2019s generally been solid this season. Getting two reliable starting pitchers will be well worth the price for the shock contenders. \u2014 Blum<\/p>\n
A righty-hitting catcher is added<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yankees catchers have been among the worst in the sport offensively, and general manager Brian Cashman even called the position an \u201cissue.\u201d Yankees catchers have combined for a 45 wRC+ \u2014 the second-worst mark in the game, ahead of only Chicago White Sox backstops. The Yankees could simply add a platoon partner for the lefty-hitting Austin Wells, but they would do better to aim higher and replace him completely. The Colorado Rockies\u2019 Hunter Goodman and the Minnesota Twins\u2019 Ryan Jeffers are the standout candidates. It would be a surprise if the Rockies trade Goodman, considering his age (26) and that he still has another year of arbitration eligibility. But Goodman can really hit (123 wRC+). Jeffers, 29, has power, but will be a free agent after this season. If the Yankees acquired him, they would find themselves needing a catcher again in the offseason. \u2014 Brendan Kuty<\/p>\n
CJ Abrams is dealt<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
There is a very compelling argument to keep Abrams, given his production, what he means to the clubhouse, how much control is left and how competitive the Nats have been in 2026. Even so, he is probably the most valuable player available on the market, and the Nationals may look at their internal depth at the position and consider a trade to be the best way to extend their World Series window in 2028 and beyond, especially if a contract extension does not materialize. Everything is on the table for the Nats. \u2014 Spencer Nusbaum<\/p>\n
A top-tier starter is added<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Jays will sell, moving significant pieces off the MLB roster, but still bring in a big-fish starting pitcher with multiple years of control. They need an addition like Jos\u00e9 Soriano, Reid Detmers or Nick Lodolo to compete in 2027, and can get some of that work done early. \u2014 Mitch Bannon<\/p>\n
Luis Garcia Jr. is acquired<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Diamondbacks trade with the Nationals for Luis Garc\u00eda Jr. Arizona has the lowest OPS from first basemen of any team in the league. Garc\u00eda is already having a 20-homer campaign and offers a high-slug, low-OBP profile not dissimilar from Eugenio Su\u00e1rez. Washington might be wise to sell high, and Garc\u00eda could fill a major need for the D-Backs in exchange for pitching prospects. \u2014 Cody Stavenhagen<\/p>\n
Liam Hicks is dealt<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
In his second big-league season, Hicks has emerged as a lineup fixture, leveraging his excellent contact skills while leading the Marlins in home runs and RBIs. He\u2019s also outhit his underlying numbers by a significant margin, and Miami has two other catchers \u2014 not including Agust\u00edn Ram\u00edrez, who could be recalled from Triple A to contribute at first base and designated hitter. \u2014 Lin<\/p>\n
They stand pat<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This has not gone according to plan. No, not the fourth-place standing in the AL West. That was always a possibility. But if they were going to limp through the summer, the A\u2019s at least had a bunch of veterans they could ship out. Instead, those veterans are either injured (Mark Leiter Jr., Luis Severino) or wildly ineffective (Jeffrey Springs, Jeff McNeil). They already dumped Aaron Civale and Scott Barlow. If someone calls on any of those veterans, the A\u2019s will surely listen. But it feels like little more than a parting with Jonah Heim is on the horizon. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n
Minnesota adds to roster<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
In an effort to bolster their long-shot odds, the Twins will trade someone with experience off their 40-man roster \u2014 perhaps Matt Wallner, Ryan Jeffers or Trevor Larnach \u2014 to acquire major-league pitching. The club also will dip into its farm system, though not at an all-in level, to add useful pieces to Derek Shelton\u2019s big-league bullpen and perhaps the rotation. This, of course, assumes they didn\u2019t fall flat on their faces against the Athletics over the weekend. \u2014 Dan Hayes<\/p>\n
Bryce Eldridge finishes strong<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Good news! Bryce Eldridge will finish the season as the Giants\u2019 leader in OPS. It\u2019s a wonderful development for the franchise that their 21-year-old top prospect hasn\u2019t looked overmatched after getting promoted on May 4. He\u2019s been one of few batters willing to take walks on a team that ranks dead last in the majors in free passes. He adjusted well in June when opposing pitchers began throwing him anything except a fastball, taking pitches and working counts. He\u2019s looking like an important, power-hitting piece of the puzzle for years to come and a potential franchise player. Except, well \u2026 bad news! Bryce Eldridge will finish the season as the Giants\u2019 leader in OPS. This doesn\u2019t speak well for the regression the Giants are already seeing from their core players signed to immovable contracts \u2014 most notably Rafael Devers, who has more than $200 million to go on a lead-balloon deal that runs through 2033. \u2014 Andrew Baggarly<\/p>\n
Milwaukee lands Tarik Skubal<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Will they? Probably not. Milwaukee built up its excellent farm system through discipline and diligence, and they may not deviate from that strategy. (And the Tigers may just hold onto Skubal, anyway.) But, buddy, Skubal sure would look good beside Jacob Misiorowski at the top of the Brewers rotation, wouldn\u2019t he? The franchise hasn\u2019t reached the World Series since 1982. The team posted the best record in baseball last year and still got trounced by the Dodgers in the NLCS. Now might be the time to go for broke. \u2014 Andy McCullough<\/p>\n
St. Louis deals Lars Nootbaar<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If not for last winter\u2019s bilateral heel surgery, Nootbaar would have already been sent elsewhere. Since his early June return, he\u2019s having a characteristic season, combining modest slugging with a high on-base percentage to be an above-average hitter. There are multiple contenders for whom he\u2019d be an upgrade right now, and Chaim Bloom has shown a willingness to extend opportunities to younger players. Top-100 prospect Joshua Baez might be next to get the big-league call. \u2014 Tim Britton<\/p>\n
Detroit avoids a fire sale<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Their improved play since June 1 means they could still have a shot at cracking the playoffs. Tarik Skubal is his own matter, a player who could net the type of return the Tigers decide not to pass up even if they still have hopes of competing in 2026. There\u2019s a world, though, where the Tigers could trade Skubal and still keep others such as Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty or Gleyber Torres. Mize in particular is eligible for a qualifying offer at the end of the season, which could incentivize the Tigers to keep him, add bullpen help and thread the needle at the deadline. \u2014 Stavenhagen<\/p>\n
They push their chips in<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Given the sheer amount of their needs, the Phillies decide to spread it around and shoot for marginal upgrades in the outfield, rotation and bullpen. This might not seem quite bold, but the Phillies lack the prospect capital to take a bigger swing like they did last summer when acquiring closer Jhoan Duran. \u2014 Matt Gelb<\/p>\n
Two starters get dealt<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
When Kansas City had a chance to move Lugo at last year\u2019s deadline, the team opted to extend him through 2027. But the past two seasons have been a bust for the franchise, and they need to restock the farm system. Lugo is 36 and Wacha just turned 35. The team should be aggressive in trying to deal them. \u2014 McCullough<\/p>\n
Lane Thomas returns<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
I suppose it\u2019s not too bold if it\u2019s the exact same addition they made two years ago at the trade deadline. The Guardians haven\u2019t shown a knack for being bold in recent years, though, despite regularly contending. This time around, they\u2019re hanging around in the race mostly because the AL is so weak, so a marginal upgrade at a spot of need \u2014 it seems like a reliable right-handed-hitting outfielder has been a need at the trade deadline for the last quarter-century \u2014 makes sense. Thomas chose the Royals over the Guardians last winter, but now the Royals and Guardians will make the choice for him. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n
Big-league talent is added<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Angels will add big-league talent. Even if the Angels trade several players off their team, it\u2019s hard to imagine them fully embracing a rebuild. Even if they should. Even if it\u2019s needed. It\u2019s not in their vocabulary. It doesn\u2019t matter who is running the baseball operations department; they still answer to Moreno. And it was notable during a Mozeliak scrum on July 20, when he alluded to the hope of being a playoff-caliber team next season. So whatever trades the Angels do make will likely be, at least in part, with the goal of remaining competitive in 2027. \u2014 Blum<\/p>\n
Another starter is dealt<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Dodgers, for the fourth deadline in a row, wind up trading another starting pitcher off their big-league roster. It was Noah Syndergaard in 2023, James Paxton in 2024 and Dustin May in 2025. Eric Lauer could make some sense \u2014 so long as the Dodgers are still optimistic their rotation could get back to full strength eventually. \u2014 Fabian Ardaya<\/p>\n
Jeremy Pe\u00f1a is traded away<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Astros will recognize their myriad issues, acknowledge their long odds of making a meaningful run in the American League playoffs and reinvigorate their farm system by trading shortstop Jeremy Pe\u00f1a. The Astros and Pe\u00f1a came close to a contract extension last season, but after talks fell apart, Pe\u00f1a hired Scott Boras to represent him and seems bound for free agency after next season. In the winter of 2024, Houston faced a similar situation with Kyle Tucker, the homegrown outfielder they failed to extend and decided to trade before his platform season. That precedent will make Pe\u00f1a an obvious trade candidate this winter. Why not seize advantage of a seller\u2019s market and, perhaps, get more in return for Pe\u00f1a? \u2014 Chandler Rome<\/p>\n
A much-needed starter is added<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Cubs acquire Reid Detmers and pay a hefty price for him. The Cubs just need bodies when it comes to their pitching right now and Detmers helps immediately. This is not a front office that\u2019s going to pay a huge price for a rental. They also have multiple rotation pieces hitting free agency after this year, so could really benefit from getting some shopping done now. With a lack of sellers, the prices will be high for anyone, but getting a young pitcher who can miss bats and is under control through 2028 would be a dream for the Cubs. \u2014 Sahadev Sharma<\/p>\n
Say hello to Isaac Paredes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n