The Boston Purple Sox and San Francisco Giants pulled off an all-time stunner with the Rafael Devers deal, so regardless that we’ll want to attend weeks for extra readability in the marketplace, commerce season is formally right here. I say, let’s preserve the offers coming!
The July 31 trade deadline is six weeks away, so let’s take a look at some commerce prospects I’d prefer to see occur. To be clear, none of those particular commerce proposals have been mentioned between the listed groups, at the least to my information. These are merely commerce concepts that I feel would make sense for either side to contemplate.
It’s additionally necessary to state that I’ve included a number of groups, such because the Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels, that, as of in the present day, say they’ve little interest in being “sellers.” Nevertheless, that might all change by the deadline relying on how every of them fares within the coming weeks.
A part of the enjoyable of this time of yr is all of the commerce rumors, hypothesis and concepts — from folks in entrance workplaces, media members and followers — so let’s embrace it. Within the feedback part, please get inventive and share commerce eventualities and ideas that you simply’d prefer to see come to fruition.
Listed here are six commerce concepts to ponder. Would you do these offers?
1. Marlins commerce RHP Sandy Alcantara to Cubs for RHP Cade Horton, OF Owen Caissie, OF Kelvin Alcántara and SS Ronny Cruz
Sandy Alcantara has pitched a lot better of late, permitting two runs or fewer in every of his final three begins. He has a 6.88 ERA on the season, but when he exhibits he’s making much more progress towards rediscovering his Cy Younger Award-winning kind, what an acquisition he could be. In that situation, including an ace like Alcantara to their beginning rotation would solidify the Cubs’ probabilities to not solely win the NL Central, but additionally vastly enhance their postseason odds and possibilities of advancing to the World Sequence.
In return, the Marlins would obtain Horton, 23, to exchange Sandy Alcantara of their rotation, and two nook outfielders, Caissie and Kelvin Alcántara, who must be major-league-ready by subsequent yr; that will enable Miami to commerce both outfielder Jesús Sánchez or outfielder Kyle Stowers at this yr’s deadline for extra expertise. Caissie, 22, has an .879 OPS this season at Triple A, whereas his Iowa Cubs teammate Alcántara, 22, is batting .239/.322/.400 with seven homers and 9 steals. Cruz, an 18-year-old who’s at present in Rookie ball, could be the ultimate piece to make the deal work for Miami.
Sandy Alcantara is signed via 2026 with a $21 million group choice for 2027, so this commerce would bolster Chicago now and within the coming years. Positive, this package deal could be a stiff value for the Cubs to pay, however given their place participant depth within the majors, it’s a threat price taking.
2. Orioles commerce RHP Félix Bautista and CF Cedric Mullins to Phillies for RHP Mick Abel
The Phillies’ two largest wants are nearer and middle area, and this situation would hit each in a single swap, regardless that it could come at a big value. Bautista is among the premier closers in baseball and is beneath group management via 2027. Mullins is an elite defensive middle fielder who hits homers and steals bases, however he will likely be a free agent at season’s finish. Bautista has logged a 3.04 ERA, 14 saves, and 31 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings in his first season since present process Tommy John surgical procedure in 2023. Mullins is batting .233/.319/.450 with 11 homers and eight stolen bases.
The Orioles would handle their key want, younger controllable beginning pitching, in buying Abel, a 23-year-old who has an opportunity to turn out to be an ace if he continues to develop and his command and management enhance. After a tough 2024 season, he has impressed this yr, posting a 2.21 ERA with 17 strikeouts and solely 4 walks in 4 begins with the Phillies, whereas logging a 2.21 ERA over 10 begins at Triple A. It could be powerful for the Phillies to lose Abel, their first-round choose in 2020, however with a robust rotation and prime prospect Andrew Painter, a future ace, on monitor to debut this summer time, they is perhaps prepared to do that deal in the event that they suppose Bautista and Mullins are the ultimate items wanted to win the World Sequence.
3. Diamondbacks commerce 3B Eugenio Suárez to Tigers for RHP Jaden Hamm and 2B Max Anderson
The Tigers want to elongate their lineup by including one other energy bat and Suárez, who started his profession with Detroit, could be the right match. Suárez is having an ideal season, already smacking 21 homers and 13 doubles. And the Diamondbacks have the most effective prospects in baseball, Jordan Lawlar, who might instantly exchange Suárez on the sizzling nook. Lawlar is tearing up Triple A as he waits his flip, batting .324/.405/.583 with 9 homers, 18 doubles, 4 triples and 16 steals.
A package deal of Hamm, 22, and Anderson, 23, could be a good return. They entered the season ranked seventh and thirteenth, respectively, in the Tigers’ system, based on The Athletic’s Keith Legislation. Hamm has a 4.73 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings this season at Double A, whereas Anderson has a .958 OPS in 234 plate appearances this yr on the similar stage. The one drawback with this situation is the Diamondbacks (36-35), regardless of their significant pitching injuries, are nonetheless planning to be patrons on the deadline, based on president of baseball operations Mike Hazen. Subsequently, Arizona would seemingly should nosedive over the following six weeks for this one to be a viable choice.
“We do these jobs to take pictures and win.”
Mike Hazen units the report straight and confirms that the #Dbacks are planning to purchase on the commerce deadline.@Dbacks
🔗https://t.co/fGPbvbj8w4 pic.twitter.com/d0xm6UndB9— MLB Community Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) June 15, 2025
4. White Sox commerce CF Luis Robert Jr. to Padres for LHP Kash Mayfield, OF Kavares Tears and INF Cobb Hightower
The White Sox have been dangling Robert in talks with groups for some time, however after he acquired off to an terrible begin this season, curiosity shortly diminished. That doesn’t imply contending groups don’t perceive Robert’s worth, when he’s proper, as he’s confirmed he is usually a 30-home run, 20-stolen base, Gold Glove-winning participant. A number of groups wish to commerce for him, however I just like the match with the Padres, the place he might play left area alongside Jackson Merrill in middle and Fernando Tatis Jr. in proper. I feel Robert would flourish with a change of surroundings and will thrive if he joined a clubhouse with gamers like Manny Machado, Tatis and Jake Cronenworth. There’s definitely nowhere to go however up: Robert is batting a paltry .194/.279/.311, although he does have 21 steals.
Maybe a package deal of Mayfield, 21; Tears, 22; and Hightower, 20, might shut the deal. All three are at present in Low A and rank among the many prime 10 prospects within the Padres’ system, based on MLB Pipeline.
5. Mariners commerce C/OF Harry Ford to Diamondbacks for 1B Josh Naylor
Once more, the Diamondbacks say they aren’t entertaining the considered promoting at this juncture, however that might change in the event that they don’t play properly within the coming weeks. And if that occurs, they match up properly with the Mariners in a commerce involving Naylor, who would fill a obtrusive want in the midst of the Mariners’ lineup and at first base. An impending free agent, Naylor is coming off a 31-homer, 108-RBI season with the Guardians and has posted a 130 OPS+ this yr with Arizona.
In return, the Diamondbacks would possibly be capable of purchase Ford, who’s blocked behind Cal Raleigh, the best overall catcher in baseball, on the major-league stage. Ford, 22, is slashing .315/.427/.425 this season at Triple A. He has an on-base share above .400 over practically 1,900 plate appearances within the minors. That is in all probability too steep a value for a rental, however it’s going to be a sellers market as soon as once more, so this is perhaps what groups should pay for a left-handed, middle-of-the-order clutch energy bat like Naylor’s.
6. Pirates commerce RHP David Bednar to Tigers for OF Cris Rodriguez
The Tigers want one other high-leverage reliever with nearer expertise. Enter Bednar, who could be an ideal match to go together with Tommy Kahnle and Will Vest behind their bullpen. Bednar, who’s beneath group management via 2026, has a 3.36 ERA and 10 saves this season. On this situation, the Pirates would get Rodriguez, who is just 17 and at the least 4 years from the majors. Nevertheless, he has severe upside and was one of many prime worldwide prospects on this yr’s class. (Rodriguez signed with Detroit for a $3.197 million bonus, the membership’s largest ever to a world beginner.)
So, though Rodriguez is a lesser-known title now, it’s attainable he sometime turns right into a Yordan Alvarez or a Junior Caminero or a Fernando Tatis Jr., who have been all as soon as prospects traded in conditions like this. I’m not implying Rodriguez is that sort of expertise, however he does have scary potential, like these gamers did after they have been traded. I feel that is the kind of prospect threat the Pirates have all the time wanted to embrace extra — regardless that, in fact, it won’t work out, like these three circumstances did for the buying groups.
It’s a high-risk, high-reward sort of commerce. What do the Pirates should lose?
(High photograph of Sandy Alcantara: Joe Sargent / Getty Pictures)
Jim Bowden , a nationwide author for The Athletic MLB, was previously the Sr. VP and normal supervisor for the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals for a mixed 16 years, together with being named the 1999 MLB Govt of the Yr by Baseball America. He’s the lead MLB Analyst and Insider for CBS Sports activities-HQ and a daily talk-show host on SiriusXM for the MLB Community and Fantasy channels. Comply with him on twitter: @JimBowdenGM Comply with Jim on Twitter @JimBowdenGM
