In recent years, July 27th would’ve marked a time where plenty of trades would have already happened. However, this is a unique trade deadline, as a result of several teams still being in striking distance of the playoffs; as ESPN’s Jeff Passan is reporting, action likely won’t take place until right before the trade deadline. With teams like the Giants leaning towards not selling, the asking prices for Whit Merrifield, Matthew Boyd, and Kirby Yates extreme, and other unexpected developments in place, let’s list the most likely and most appealing players to be traded, looking at potential suitors for them while also formulating trade proposals.

 SP Tanner Roark, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 4.15 FIP, 4.44 xFIP, 8.92 K/9, 2.86 BB/9, 1.18 HR/9, 4.45 SIERA, 1.04 GB/FB, 35.2% Hard, .329 BABIP, 77.7% LOB, 1.8 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Phillies

#2 A’s

Other Possible Suitors

#3 Brewers

#4 Cardinals

#5 Astros

Best Fit: Philadelphia Phillies

With a negative run differential and with the division likely not attainable, the Phillies could theoretically stand pat at the trade deadline. Yet, they went all-in this offseason, and with them desperately in need of just bodies in the rotation, acquiring someone on the cheap like Roark could make sense. He isn’t a flashy option, but he honestly could be the second-best starting pitcher in that rotation, and could at least help save the bullpen on occasion. Plus, the acquisition cost would be very low, which is what the underperforming Phillies should be looking for.

Trade Proposal: Phillies Acquire SP Tanner Roark In Exchange For LHP Kyle Dohy

Dohy is strictly a reliever, making it a relatively reasonable price for a rental #4 or #5 starting pitcher. After all, Roark was traded in the offseason for reliever Tanner Rainey; a similar deal should be Cincinatti’s asking price, and could work for best sides.

 RP Edwin Diaz, New York Mets

Stats: 3.50 FIP, 3.13 xFIP, 13.96 K/9, 2.97 BB/9, 1.60 HR/9, 2.81 SIERA, .92 GB/FB, 48% Hard, .407 BABIP, 76.8% LOB, 0.6 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Twins

#2 Dodgers

#3 Red Sox

#4 Rays

#5 Braves

#6 Blue Jays

Other Possible Suitors

#7 Rockies

#8 Cardinals

Best Fit: Minnesota Twins

It’s hard to find a perfect fit for Diaz, as the Mets’ asking price for the 25-year-old is likely to be too extreme for a reliever with a 3.50 FIP this season. Yes, he comes with 2 1/2 years of control, but there’s a lot of uncertainty in what teams will be getting from him, so it may be best for teams to steer away from him. Still, the Twins are in need of a reliever, specifically a controllable one, and have the overall prospect depth to acquire him. The Dodgers are also a decent fit, though they should look at more short-term assets who can help them more right away.

Trade Proposal: Twins Acquire RP Edwin Diaz In Exchange For OF Trevor Larnach, C Ryan Jeffers, RHP Jordan Balazovic

I’m not sure about this trade proposal on the Twins side, as they’re giving up two very strong prospects in Larnach and Balazovic to acquire a reliever. Still, Diaz is going to come at an expensive acquisition price; I’m not sure the Mets would even settle for this package. Pairing Diaz with someone else may be the most sensible way to make a match work between these two teams.

 OF Nick Castellanos, Detroit Tigers

Stats: .279/.335/.471, 111 wrc+, 7.3% BB, 22% K, .340 BABIP, 42.8% Hard, .97 GB/FB, 39.8% Chase, -6 drs, -4 UZR, 1.2 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Cubs

#2 Phillies

#3 Rays

Other Possible Suitors

#4 Braves

#5 Indians

Best Fit: Chicago Cubs

As a defensive liability having a somewhat down year offensively, there’s really one team that makes sense for Castellanos, and that’s the Cubs. They’ve struggled with left-handed pitching all year long, and since outfielders Kyle Schwarber and Jayson Heyward have large platoon splits, Castellanos’ ability to mash left-handed pitching (177 wrc+) would complement them perfectly. Plus, with Albert Almora’s strong defense in center field and Jayson Heyward either serving as another solid defender or a defensive replacement, Chicago is the perfect team to accommodate for his defensive struggles.

Trade Proposal: Cubs Acquire OF Nick Castellanos In Exchange For RHP Thomas Hatch and LHP Brendan Little

Littles’ a former first-round pick that has underwhelmed at the professional level, while Hatch is already 24-years-old.  To sum it up, both are expendable for the contending Cubs, who have a solid amount of pitching depth in their farm system, but at the same time, Detroit should appreciate Little’s potential upside and Hatch’s two-pitch mix as a possible reliever. It’s a win-win trade for both teams.

SP Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stats: 3.14 FIP, 3.67 xFIP, 8.17 K/9, 1.15 BB/9, 0.89 HR/9, 3.87 SIERA, 1.25 GB/FB, 35.9% Hard, .266 BABIP, 77.3% LOB, 3.6 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked) 

#1 Phillies

Other Possible Suitors

#2 Twins

#3 Astros

#4 Brewers

#5 Braves

#6 Cardinals

Best Fit: Philadelphia Phillies

It’s hard to find a good fit for Greinke, who is already 35-years-old and owed $32 million in each of the next two seasons. However, since there is only one actual team known to be interested in him, it makes this exercise a lot easier. Greinke would surely be an upgrade at the front of the rotation, and could definitely help them this season. His style of pitching makes it reasonable that he could be at least a middle of the rotation starter for the team throughout the rest of his contract, though the salary, as well as his 15 team no-trade clause, which includes Philadelphia, complicates this match certainly.

Trade Proposal: Phillies Acquire SP Zack Greinke In Exchange For OF Mickey Moniak and RHP Enyel De Los Santos, Arizona Pays Half of His Remaining Salary In 2019, 2020, and 2021. 

In a trade for Greinke, a proposal can go two way.s Either Arizona eats the money and gets some solid young talent, or they let him go in a mere salary dump. In this proposal, they meet a median by taking on half of his remain salary, which prompts them two receive two decent, though not premier prospects. Moniak is a former first-round pick that is a definite change of scenery candidate, while De Los Santos is a big-league ready pitcher, though he hasn’t been able to carve a role with Philadelphia. I have small concerns about this potential deal on both sides, but it’s the closest thing to a win-win trade that can be formulated to get Greinke to Philadelphia.

 SP Zack Wheeler, New York Mets

Stats: 3.64 FIP, 3.83 xFIP, 9.92 K/9, 2.46 BB/9, 1.23 HR/9, 1.22 GB/FB, 33.9% Hard, .315 BABIP, 65.8% LOB, 2.7 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Brewers

#2 Yankees

#3 A’s

#4 Rays

#5 Braves

#6 Red Sox

Other Possible Suitors

#7 Cardinals

#8 Astros

#9 Phillies

#10 Dodgers

#11 Twins

Best Fit: Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers were in need of rotation depth when they had All-Star Brandon Woodruff, but now with him expected to miss about six weeks with an oblique injury. Wheeler would be undoubtedly the best pitcher in a rotation currently fronted by Zach Davies and Chase Anderson, and as a rental, his cost won’t be extreme like other controllable starting pitchers, which is ideal for a team with one of the worst farm systems currently. Milwaukee is currently tied for the second wildcard and just one game out of the NL Central; the time to act is now, and a trade for Wheeler could be the difference between making the playoffs and not.

Trade Proposal: Brewers Acquire SP Zack Wheeler In Exchange For OF Corey Ray, LHP Aaron Ashby, and OF Tyrone Taylor

This is a very tough price to pay for the Brewers, but when examing it closely, maybe not so much. Ray is a former top pick with excellent power and athleticism, but he’s already 24-years-old and hasn’t made much progress yet, while Ashby comes with a lot of upside, but a decent amount of risk. To cap off the deal, Taylor is a decent minor leaguer but is only 25-years-old. The Mets get two high upside prospects and an organizational player, while Milwaukee gets a big addition for their rotation while holding onto to their premier prospects; it’s a fine trade all around.

 OF Yasiel Puig, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: .263/.312/.494, 104 wrc+, 5.7% BB, 21.9% K, .283 BABIP, 37.7% Hard, .73 GB/FB, 37% Chase, 3 drs, 0.7 UZR, 1.2 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

None

Other Possible Suitors

#1 Indians

#2 A’s

#3 Phillies

#4 Cubs

Best Fit: Cleveland Indians

The Indians once looked like clear sellers, and still have one attractive trade piece, but they now sit just one game out of the division and are in possession of the top wildcard spot. Now that a division title is possible, they should look to upgrade an outfield that ranks fifth-worst in wrc+ (89). Both corner outfield spots have been shaky this season, so inserting Puig’s excellent defense and his power, especially as he’s in the midst of a major hot streak, could be huge for the team. Plus, as a rental, he wouldn’t cost anything significant, allowing them to continue to have a long-term focus while also improving in the immediate term.

Trade Proposal: Indians Acquire OF Yasiel Puig In Exchange For INF Ernie Clement and RHP Nick Sandlin

As a position player rental, Puig won’t come at a steep cost, though interest in him should be strong enough that Cleveland will have two give up two decent pieces to land him. Clement’s a pure contact hitter who rarely strikes out, while Sandlin’s high strikeout rates are intriguing. Still, they’re two expendable pieces, and more than worth the price of Puig, who could be inserted right in the middle of their lineup.

OF David Peralta, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stats: .284/.347/.468, 108 wrc+, 7.9% BB, 22.5% K, .350 BABIP, 43.4% Hard, 1.84 GB/FB, 37.2% Chase, 4 drs, 4.9 UZR, 1.4 WAR

Rumored Suitors

#1 Cubs

Other Possible Suitors

#2 A’s

#3 Braves

#4 Cardinals

#5 Reds

#6 Rangers

Best Fit*: Chicago Cubs

Honestly, I feel like the A’s, Braves, and maybe even the Cardinals are better fits for Peralta than the Cubs, who already have two lefty corner outfielders they’re committed to well past this season, but since they’re the only team known to have interest in the 31-year-old, we’ll focus on them. Peralta’s platoon splits (56 wrc+) are even worse than Heyward’s and Schwarber’s, but it’s likely that this move means they don’t consider Schwarber a starting-caliber outfielder for them. Or maybe, Schwarber would be in the deal for Peralta? When healthy, Peralta is a clear upgrade over Schwarber, but that’s a major if, and since acquiring him would cost prospects they don’t really have, this would likely be an unnecessary move from them.

Trade Proposal: Cubs Acquire OF David Peralta In Exchange For LHP Brailyn Marquez and SS Zack Short

Peralta’s value will certainly be hampered by his injury history and age, but his extra year of club control should allow Arizona to get a decent return for him. The 20-year-old Marquez has front-line starting pitcher potential and has posted tremendous strikeout numbers this season, and would be a very welcome addition to Arizona’s farm system. Meanwhile, Short is a solid high on-base percentage shortstop with some pop and defense, and he looks to be big-league ready. Marquez would be a major loss for Chicago, though Short isn’t as much given his age, but if they want to acquire Peralta, who should draw interest from multiple teams, this is likely the minimum it would take.

RP Shane Greene, Detroit Tigers

Stats: 3.73 FIP, 3.78 xFIP, 9.97 K/9, 2.68 BB/9, 1.22 HR/9, 3.43 SIERA, 1.47 GB/FB, 29.8% Hard, .180 BABIP, 84.6% LOB, 0.7 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Nationals

#2 Dodgers

#3 Cubs

#4 Phillies

#5 A’s

Other Possible Suitors

#6 Braves

#7 Cardinals

#8 Brewers

#9 Twins

#10 Red Sox

#11 Yankees

#12 Angels

Best Fit: Washington Nationals

It’s no secret that the Nationals, who hold a wildcard spot and are still within striking distance of the NL East (5.5 GB), need to upgrade a bullpen that ranks in the bottom half of the league in FIP (4.75), and is thin after Sean Doolittle. Greene’s not a spectacular option and is bound to regress with a .180 BABIP allowed and a 3.73 FIP, but his strikeout and walk rates are solid, and he’s induced a lot of ground balls and soft contact. He’d be a much better option as a late-inning reliever compared to what else the team currently has.

Trade Proposal: Nationals Acquire RP Shane Greene In Exchange For RHP Mason Denaburg and C Israel Pineda

Based on the Tigers’ high asking price for Greene, it’s likely that a team will have to overpay for the 30-year-old. Still, these proposals are about coming off with a fair deal for both sides, and this is it. In this scenario, Washington doesn’t give up any of their top prospects, but Detroit still lands two high upside 19-year-olds, including the Nats’ first-round pick last year in Denaburg. It’s a fair trade all-around, though the Tigers almost certainly will receive more for Greene than perhaps they should.

 RP Mychal Givens, Baltimore Orioles

Stats: 4.75 FIP, 3.82 xFIP, 12.41 K/9, 4.14 BB/9, 1.96 HR/9, 3.43 SIERA, .88 GB/FB, 24.5% Hard, .259 BABIP, 75.5% LOB, 0.2 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Braves

#2 Phillies

#3 Nationals

#4 Dodgers

#5 Indians

Other Possible Suitors

#6 Cardinals

#7 Angels

#8 Rockies

#9 Brewers

#10 Cubs

#11 A’s

#12 Rangers

Best Fit: Atlanta Braves

Though Mychal Givens may be having a rough season on the surface with a 4.75 FIP, there’s a reason he’s been coveted by multiple teams; he’s still a very effective reliever. The 29-year-old has struck batters out a career-high rate, has allowed hard contact at very low rate, and has a significantly lower road FIP (3.50). His main issue has been surrounding home runs, but since that’s a much bigger issue at home in the tough AL East and in the bandbox known as Oriole Park (2.35 HR/9), there’s a very likely chance that he’ll be a low 3.00 ERA type of reliever with a different team. His 2.5 years of club control makes sense for a lot of teams, but especially the Braves, who have a clear need for depth in the bullpen and the prospects to easily acquire Givens. He’d immediately come in and be a late-inning reliever for them.

Trade Proposal: Braves Acquire RP Mychal Givens In Exchange For RHP Huascar Ynoa and RHP Tristan Beck

Since their farm system is so elite, Atlanta won’t have to give up any of their top prospects to acquire Givens, especially since relievers, particularly ones that aren’t elite, though Given is still a very solid pitcher. Ynoa and Beck are two pitching prospects that would both be nice additions to Baltimore’s rising farm system. Ynoa’s a higher-ceiling prospect whose stock is rising,  while Beck’s floor is very high; adding two future middle of the rotation starting pitchers is a very reasonable return for Givens, and his club control.

 SP Trevor Bauer, Cleveland Indians

Stats: 4.19 FIP, 4.25 xFIP, 10.58 K/9, 3.49 BB/9, 1.30 HR/9, 4.11 SIERA, .99 GB/FB, 40.2% Hard, .264 BABIP, 76.8% LOB, 2.6 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Yankees

#2 Astros

Other Possible Suitors

#3 Cardinals

#4 Brewers

#5 Phillies

#6 Twins

#7 Dodgers

#8 Braves

#9 A’s

#10 Rays

#11 Padres

Best Fit: New York Yankees

The Yankees have an obvious need for a starting pitcher (seventh-worst in FIP), and with Marcus Stroman heading to the other New York team and Madison Bumgarner likely staying put, Bauer is their best option. The upside in acquiring him is off the charts, and since New York’s rotation is currently filled with middle of the rotation starting pitchers, that upside is a very good complement to what they currently have. Additionally, the 28-year-old comes with an extra year of control, even if it will come at a steep arbitration cost, and as we’ll get to, they so much major league depth, that they’re a perfect match with Cleveland.

Trade Proposal: Yankees Acquire SP Trevor Bauer In Exchange For OF Clint Frazier, SP Jonathan Loaisiga, and RHP Roansy Contreras

The Indians will be looking to avoid a drop-off short-term while benefitting long-term in a trade for Bauer, and this proposal would do that. The 24-year-old Frazier comes with four extra years of club control, has so much offensive upside, and would immediately improve Cleveland’s barren outfield. Meanwhile, Loaisiga could replace Bauer in the rotation, and has front-line starting pitcher potential. To top it all of, Contreras is a flyer in this deal at just 19-years-old and is a good final piece. On the Yankees side, it would also make sense since Frazier and Loaisiga are both already 24-years-old and don’t have spots on the major league team, and Contreras is just one of their boatload of young pitching prospects. This would be the perfect example of a win-win trade and would make so much sense given the two franchises’ outlooks.

SP Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets

Stats: 3.64 FIP, 4.04 xFIP, 8.95 K/9, 2.56 BB/9, 0.99 HR/9, 4.16 SIERA, 1.46 GB/FB, 29.2% Hard, .315 BABIP, 68.1% LOB, 2.7 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Braves

#2 Astros

#3 Dodgers

#4 Padres

#5 Twins

#6 Yankees

#7 A’s

#8 Rays

Other Possible Suitors

#9 Rockies

#10 Cardinals

Best Fit: Atlanta Braves

Due to their high asking price, it’s hard to find a proper fit for the Mets in a Noah Syndergaard trade. Ironically, the best fit is their division rival Braves, who have the pitching prospects to restock their farm system that was recently depleted with their acquisition of Marcus Stroman. On the contrary, the Braves will have to ship some of their pitching prospects for a true ace at some point, and Syndergaard is still on an ace trajectory, despite this year’s hiccup. Additionally, if you take him out of New York’s poor defense and put with a much better defense in Atlanta, I have no doubts his performance would be elevated. There’s always a concern with trading for a player’s ceiling rather than what they already are (Chris Archer), but Syndergaard was one of the best pitchers in baseball as recently as last year, and would be quite the addition for the World Series contending Braves.

Trade Proposal: Braves Acquire SP Noah Syndergaard In Exchange For RHP Ian Anderson, RHP Kyle Wright, C William Contreras, and LHP Luiz Gohara

Wow, would this be a tough blow for the Braves. If Atlanta wants to hold onto to their top two prospects in outfielders Christian Pache and Drew Waters, they’ll have to sacrifice their top two pitching prospects. However, it may not be as extreme as it sounds. Wright is an underperforming 23-year-old who has struggled when given the chance at the big league level, Gohara’s stock has fallen significantly, and Contreras is redundant with Shea Langeliers already in the system. The main loss is Anderson, who has front-line starting pitcher potential, though he could be swapped out for Waters or Pache if Atlanta desires. Still, the thought of having a future rotation anchored by Syndergaard and Mike Soroka could be too difficult to pass up.

 SP Mike Minor, Texas Rangers

Stats: 4.19 FIP, 4.44 xFIP, 9.07 K/9, 3.07 BB/9, 1.27 HR/9, 4.36 SIERA, 1.03 GB/FB, 36.3% Hard, .275 BABIP, 86% LOB, 2.7 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked) 

#1 Twins

#2 Braves

#3 Phillies

#4 Yankees

Other Possible Suitors

#5 A’s

#6 Cardinals

#7 Astros

#8 Brewers

#9 Dodgers

Best Fit: Minnesota Twins

To be frank, I’m not sure how appealing of a trade candidate Mike Minor truly is. Yes, his 3.00 ERA is nice, but it’s nowhere close to his 4.19 FIP and 4.36 SIERA. Lance Lynn is a much better trade candidate, but since Minor is the one with the trade rumors, he’s the top Rangers trade piece. There’s some hope, based on early success on solid strikeout numbers, that he can be a solid middle of the rotation starter, while he’s controlled through 2020 on a cheap contract ($9.5 million next season). The Twins have two pending free agents in Jake Odorizzi and Kyle Gibson, so getting a glue in the rotation in Minor at an affordable rate makes them the best fit, in addition to the fact that they could use at least one more decent starting pitcher in their rotation.

Trade Proposal: Twins Acquire SP Mike Minor In Exchange For OF Trevor Larnach and RHP Cole Sands

Larnach is a top 100 prospect with an all-around offensive profile, and could be worth it for the Rangers on his own, while Sands is a throw-in. This would be a very strong deal for Texas to add to their somewhat thin farm system, and for Minnesota, Larnach is a somewhat expendable piece given their depth of young outfielders. It’s the closest to a fair deal that can be found for Minor.

RP Ken Giles, Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: 1.60 FIP, 2.48 xFIP, 14.91 K/9, 2.83 BB/9, 0.51 HR/9, 2.30 SIERA, 0.97 GB/FB, 38% Hard, .348 BABIP, 90.6% LOB, 1.5 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Twins

#2 Braves

#3 Nationals

#4 Yankees

#5 Red Sox

Other Possible Suitors

#6 Dodgers

#7 Phillies

#8 Cardinals

#9 Brewers

Best Fit: Minnesota Twins

There’s no doubt that Giles and his 1.60 FIP would be huge in the back of the bullpen for the Braves and Nationals, but from a prospect return perspective, the Twins are the best fit. They may not have the overall prospect depth that Atlanta has, but they have more high-end prospects that they may be willing to give up. They, like the Braves and Nationals, have a need at the back-end of their bullpen, as Taylor Rogers is all they really have. Plus, since they’ll be a contender next season as well as this season, they’ll benefit from his extra year of club control.

Trade Proposal: Twins Acquire RP Ken Giles and RP Daniel Hudson In Exchange For RHP Jordan Balazovic and LHP Stephen Gonsalves

The Blue Jays could opt for more, lower-quality prospects, but if they want to have a high-end prospect, the 20-year-old Balazovic would work. He’s in the midst of a breakout season, looks like a future #2 or #3 starting pitcher, and is ironically Canadian. Gonsalves is already 25-years-old and is a flyer as a former top prospect, while Hudson is a throw-in as a veteran relief option for Minnesota. This is likely a thinner prospect package than the Blue Jays will actually receive, but in terms of orchestrating a completely equal trade proposal, this is a solid all-around trade.

SP Robbie Ray, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stats: 4.27 FIP, 3.81 xFIP, 11.85 K/9, 4.24 BB/9, 1.54 HR/9, 4.03 SIERA, 1.01 GB/FB, 42% Hard, .293 BABIP, 77.1% LOB, 1.7 WAR

Rumored Suitors (Ranked)

#1 Astros

#2 Phillies

#3 Twins

#4 Brewers

#5 Yankees

Other Possible Suitors

#6 A’s

#7 Braves

#8 Cardinals

#9 Dodgers

Best Fit: Houston Astros

When looking at the biggest needs among teams, none may be greater than the Astros’ need for a starting pitcher with control. They have absolutely zero depth behind Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, and with Cole heading towards a $200 million payday in free agency this offseason, they need to add reinforcements for beyond this season. Syndergaard may be too unattainable, and the same can be said about Bauer, so Ray may be their best bet. Given his strikeout numbers and his overall filthy pitching arsenal, it’s clear the 27-year-old has front-line starting pitcher potential If the Astros can make him their latest success story, they may be able to steal another top starting pitcher from the trade market.

Trade Proposal: Astros Acquire SP Robbie Ray In Exchange For RHPs JB Bukauskas and Corbin Martin

The Diamondbacks had interest in JB Bukauskas in the offseason in a possible Paul Goldschmidt trade, and he’s a reasonable piece as a high upside arm in a Ray trade. Meanwhile, Martin was a premier prospect heading into the season, but major league struggles and him undergoing Tommy John surgery has hurt his stock significantly. Still, he still looks to be heading towards a successful career as a key part of a starting rotation. From Arizona’s perspective, they receive two future starting pitchers, while Houston gets their latest project at a pretty sensible price.