5 Spicy Hot Takes For MLB Trade Deadline
A Blog By Brett
5) Eugenio Suarez to the Tigers
The Tigers are the top team in the American League and a top-5 team in all of baseball. It is no secret that the Detroit pitching staff has done a fantastic job throughout the 2025 season. They are a top-10 team right now in ERA (3.65), Saves (28), OBA (.237), WHIP (1.22), BB (292), and ER (364). They can add to the pitching at the deadline, but the move that will put them over the top is adding a premier bat.
Eugenio Suarez would be able to play First Base, Third Base, or serve as the Designated Hitter for Detroit if they decide to pursue his services. He is tearing the cover off the baseball this season and would inject some power into the lineup. Don’t get me wrong, Detroit has plenty of talent with Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres, Zach McKinstry, Spencer Torkelson, Javier Baez, Colt Keith, and Kerry Carpenter. Heck, they could even give Kevin McGonigle a chance at the bigs if he keeps raking in Double-A.
Suarez is the gold standard of trade deadline targets this year. He is currently slashing .257/ .605 / .933 for Arizona. The Diamondbacks have to sell. They are 4th in the division, 7th in the Wild Card, and have a prime opportunity to reload for next season. The Tigers have the prospect capital to make a move, do not sit in the National League, and are heading into the playoffs with the best pitcher on the planet right now.
4) Braves Go On Selling Spree and Land A Top-5 Farm System
Alex Anthopoulos needs to do something big at the deadline. He has done a miraculous job of assembling this core of Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Spencer Strider, Sean Murphy, Michael Harris II, and Jurickson Profar with team-friendly deals. Not only are these deals team-friendly, but they will retain all of them together on the roster through 2027.
Clearly, the last two seasons have not gone as planned in Atlanta. It is not their year in 2025. They are the 4th-worst team in the National League and the 7th-worst team in baseball. Anthopoulos can add some positivity to this season by being aggressive at the deadline.
They can sell Raisel Iglesias, Chris Sale, Marcell Ozuna, and Pierce Johnson for a haul of prospects to contending teams. Currently, the Braves have a bottom-tier farm system according to multiple outlets. Should Atlanta decide to sell the house and possibly even move Sean Murphy, they can catapult themselves into a top-5 farm system when the deadline is all said and done.
3) Yankees Have Loud Bark, No Bite…
This is where I become pessimistic about the Yankees. I have all the faith in the world in New York, it’s just they do not realistically have the prospect capital to win the deadline.
Their top trade candidates are George Lombard Jr. (untouchable), Spencer Jones, Carlos Lagrange, Ben Hess, Bryce Cunningham, Chase Hampton, Henry Lalane, and Cam Schlittler.
I don't see teams lining up to acquire most of these prospects. The ones that teams should be interested in are Lombard Jr. and Schlittler. The issue is that Lombard Jr. should not be moved due to pedigree, and Cam Schlittler looks excellent so far in the bigs. In my opinion, they should not move Schlittler, especially for an aging bat.
General Manager Brian Cashman has dug himself a hole by neglecting the farm system, and now the Yankees will pay for this negligence, as they will be unable to win over teams with their prospects.
2) Cubs Acquire Dylan Cease
The Cubs NEED to make a couple of moves if they want to win a World Series this year. Given the fact that Chicago is a top-5 offense in all of baseball, the Cubs should focus on pitching. The good news for the Cubbies is that they have multiple prospects at their disposal that other teams covet.
Justin Steele being ruled out for the year was a tough blow to Chicago earlier this season. The deadline could provide some reinforcements not only to the bullpen but to the rotation.
That is where Dylan Cease and the San Diego Padres come in. San Diego seems like they are shopping for Cease, and a deal with Chicago could make a ton of sense, especially if they can get prospect Owen Caissie in return. This will all depend on San Diego and what the offers out there are for Cease, but the Cubs acquiring a front-line starter is a no-brainer.
1) Houston Makes a Splash in Blockbuster With Pirates
Houston has been utterly dominant in both the pitching and hitting departments this season. The more impressive part is that they have managed to do this with one of the most injury-ridden rosters in baseball.
I think Houston has something up their sleeve for the deadline and could pull off a massive deal with Pittsburgh. The Pirates are the definition of sellers and should look to move their aging players or larger contracts, given the state of the team and the direction they seem to be taking.
Imagine a deal that looks like this:
OF - Jacob Melton {IL} (#2 Prospect in System) MLB
RHP - Ethan Pecko (#10 Prospect in System) AA
RHP - Jose Fleury (#16 Prospect in System) AAA
Another prospect to be named later
In exchange for:
SP - Mitch Keller (3.53 ERA) - FA 2028
SP - Andrew Heaney (5.03 ERA) - FA 2025
RP - David Bednar (2.31 ERA) - FA 2027
Pittsburgh would be unloading a rental in Heaney, an aging David Bednar, and Mitch Keller (who is very good), clearing almost $27M in salary and acquiring three players who aren’t getting paid anything who can help them almost immediately next year as they build around Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, and Jared Jones.
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