We’ve reached the back end of July, and that means we are quickly approaching this year’s trade deadline on August 3. There are some clear buyers and sellers, as always, but this year the league has found itself with quite a few “in-betweeners” that could fall either way. The Red Sox were one of the worst teams in baseball just a month ago, but their recent 14-game winning streak has catapulted them back into a Wild Card spot. Even the Pirates’ front office has come out and said they will straddle the line between buying and selling, moving pieces where it makes sense for the long term.
And you can’t forget that the CBA poses the potential for a lockout next year, so trades are especially intriguing given the fact that players might not see the field for longer than just one offseason after October 2026. Age has become a major factor at this year’s deadline.
Rather than diving into the direction each team is leaning, I’ll be highlighting specific players who could be shipped away this summer, where they might end up, and the returns they could yield.
Book the Flight
1. Ryan Jeffers
The Twins’ catcher has long been a source of stability for Minnesota, but this year he has kicked into another gear. Jeffers is one of the few players in today’s game who has nearly put together a .300/.400/.500 slash line (.287/.398/.552), and he has done so without hitting many home runs (9). Arguably the best part of Jeffers’ game is that this season he has exactly as many walks as strikeouts (26), a rare feat accomplished by only three players last year: Luis Arraez, Steven Kwan, and Geraldo Perdomo.
Jeffers seems to be an attainable option for many teams in need of a catcher, as he is in the final year of his contract and is set to earn just $6.7 million this season. He might work best as a stopgap for teams with catching talent in the farm system that need production at the position now, such as Cleveland, Tampa Bay, or even St. Louis if the Cardinals decide to buy at this year’s deadline.
Likely Traded
1. Luis Arraez
Arraez has been one of the league’s most consistent contact hitters since breaking into the majors with the Twins. One of the few players who walks more than he strikes out, Arraez’s offensive profile fits a very specific mold. He would likely provide value to a team that needs stronger at-bats, draws more pitches out of opposing starters, and refuses to go down via the punchout. Given the struggles the Giants have had this year, Arraez’s one-year, $12 million contract seems easy to move to a contender.
The Yankees have plenty of holes, and despite having Jazz Chisholm Jr. anchoring second base, Arraez provides the contact and quality at-bats New York desperately needs. He could also be an interesting fit for the Mariners. After the injury-laden season Brendan Donovan has had, rookie Cole Young has had to fill in at second base. Arraez could provide a veteran presence in the clubhouse and a new face capable of pushing Seattle over the top in the AL West.
2. Hunter Goodman
Goodman has been a force to be reckoned with offensively over the last two seasons, posting an OPS above .800 in consecutive years. Bluntly, he has been a rare bright spot for a Rockies team that has seen little success this decade. Even more encouraging for whichever team might acquire Goodman, his home-road splits are reversed—at Coors Field. Goodman is hitting .233 with an .816 OPS at home, excellent offensive numbers for a catcher in today’s game, but has been even better on the road, slashing .282 with a .964 OPS.
Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox would be perfect suitors for the 26-year-old backstop. The Yankees have watched Austin Wells regress as the season has progressed (and he didn’t get off to a blazing start by any means), forcing them to call up Ali Sánchez to supplement the lackluster production from Wells and backup J.C. Escarra. Sánchez has appeared with six teams since breaking into the league at the start of 2020 and owns a career OPS of .479. Shockingly, that is better than the OPS of both teams’ everyday catchers, Carlos Narváez and Austin Wells. Hunter Goodman would provide a much-needed spark to either lineup, but because he is under team control through 2029, the acquisition cost could be steep.
Possibility
1. Zach Neto
While this one makes all the sense in the world, the Angels have had plenty of opportunities to ship players out during this putrid era of baseball in Anaheim and haven’t pulled the trigger. Neto has been everything you could want in a shortstop: consistent offense hovering around an .800 OPS, 20-home-run power, and 30-plus stolen-base potential. Although he strikes out more than almost anyone in baseball, Neto has been one of the few things the Angels have gotten right lately, and at just 25 years old, he could become part of the core an acquiring team builds around.
The return for Neto would be hefty. The Angels have often been unwilling to part with their players, and Neto feels like more of the same considering his long-term potential. He is under team control through 2029, which will be his age-28 season before reaching free agency. If he were to be dealt, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta could all be potential suitors.
2. Shea Langeliers
The former No. 1 overall prospect for both the Braves and Athletics took a little time to find his footing in the big leagues but has since exploded offensively. Over his first three seasons in the majors, he hit .215 with a .708 OPS. Since then, he has hit .271 with an .848 OPS. Offense from the catcher position is always valuable and has been awfully scarce in recent years, despite the fact that there are three high-profile offensive catchers potentially available at this deadline. Langeliers provides a middle-of-the-order bat with 30-home-run power that could put any contender over the top.
The question is whether the Athletics’ front office believes it will be a competitive playoff team by 2028, when Langeliers is set to reach free agency. If so, he is unlikely to move given the organization’s long-term goals. However, if the A’s believe their competitive window begins primarily in 2029 or beyond, or if they receive a substantial offer, they could decide to move him. If a team like the Yankees or Phillies is willing to part with a significant portion of its farm system, Langeliers could be a legitimate needle-mover.
Dark Horse
1. Corey Seager
After signing a 10-year, $321 million contract with the Texas Rangers in December 2021, Seager made himself a Lone Star State hero in the fall of 2023, once again dominating in the World Series while leading his team to a championship and earning World Series MVP honors. However, that offensive superteam is gone, with the declines of Adolis García, Marcus Semien, and Nathaniel Lowe, along with injuries that have slowed Evan Carter’s development. The Rangers have managed to stay atop the AL West this season, but only barely, hovering around the .500 mark. If the Astros or Mariners take a significant step forward over the coming weeks - or acquire the talent to indicate they soon will - the Rangers could become more willing to entertain moving Seager.
The return would be fascinating, as Seager still has 5.5 years and roughly $155 million remaining on his contract. If a team were willing to absorb the salary for the later years of a player on the wrong side of 30 with an extensive injury history, the Rangers might be willing to accept a lighter prospect package. This remains a highly circumstantial and unlikely deal, but it would certainly be one of the most intriguing moves of the deadline.