With the Tuesday trade deadline quickly approaching, the next week will be interesting for a number of teams — including some of the clubs at the top of this week’s MLB Power Rankings.
A number of the best teams have struggled recently, making the deadline even more important to them. The Phillies are 7-9 in their past 16 games, the Orioles are 3-8 in their past 11 games, and the Yankees are on a 10-22 stretch. Meanwhile, the Royals have caught fire out of the All-Star break, and the Astros have vaulted into our top 10 following their dismal start.
How will all of this influence the deadline? Which players could we see in new places?
Our panel has combined to rank every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castillo to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.
Second-half preview | Preseason rankings
Record: 64-38
Previous ranking: 1
The Phillies are about as set as any team in the majors, but they could still use an upgrade in the outfield (nobody wants to see Johan Rojas batting regularly in the postseason again). If president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski wants to swing big, he could go after Luis Robert Jr. to fill the hole in center field, but given that Robert is signed through 2027, that’s a complicated, difficult deal to put together. Or Philadelphia could slide Brandon Marsh over to center and acquire a left fielder (Randy Arozarena, Tommy Pham, Lane Thomas, Jesse Winker). — Schoenfield
Record: 60-41
Previous ranking: 2
The Orioles, loaded offensively, could use pitching, pitching and more pitching. The rotation is filled with uncertainty after ace Corbin Burnes. Baltimore has lost starters Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells to season-ending elbow injuries this season. Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) and Dean Kremer (triceps) have both spent time on the injured list. Albert Suarez, a 34-year-old journeyman, has been their second-best starter.
In the bullpen, closer Craig Kimbrel, signed over the winter to replace the injured Felix Bautista, rebounded nicely from a rough stretch in early May, but his postseason performance in recent years does not inspire confidence. The Orioles have a farm system brimming with talent to acquire whomever they please. Chances are they’ll address the pitching staff. — Castillo
Record: 61-42
Previous ranking: 3
The bad vibes the Dodgers carried with them into the All-Star break — with six losses in seven games and a major-league-high 15 players on the IL — have evaporated. They began their second half with five consecutive wins against the Red Sox and Giants, then welcomed Tyler Glasnow back on Wednesday and will bring Clayton Kershaw back Thursday. Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler should follow shortly thereafter. Their rotation is clearly rounding back into form. Still, the Dodgers are targeting a front-of-the-rotation starter, given the uncertainty surrounding Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They’d also like to add an every-day outfielder. — Gonzalez
Record: 60-44
Previous ranking: 5
The Yankees’ two priorities are improving the bullpen and offense. The latter has been dismal outside of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto for more than a month. A late-inning reliever with a high strikeout rate is the preference on the pitching side. More than one would be better. Tanner Scott, Yimi Garcia, Carlos Estevez and Kyle Finnegan are among the options. As for the offense, a productive infielder who can play both second or third base, if not both, is an obvious upgrade to raise the run-production floor. That crop is more dependent on fringe wild-card contenders choosing to subtract. Other possible paths are acquiring a starting pitcher and a right-handed-hitting outfielder to platoon with Alex Verdugo in left field. — Castillo
Record: 61-40
Previous ranking: 4
Cleveland’s need is obvious: starting pitching help. Well, the Guardians could also use an outfielder, unless they really believe in riding rookies Angel Martinez in center and Jhonkensy Noel in right. That seems a risky bet given Martinez had played three games in center in the minors before getting called up. Anyway, we also know the way the Guardians operate, and bringing on a significant salary is unlikely. Of course, Garrett Crochet is still making just $800,000 and even Erick Fedde would be on the hook for just a couple of million the rest of the way. — Schoenfield
Record: 59-43
Previous ranking: 6
It’s simple: The Brewers need to add starting pitching. They began that process when they picked up Aaron Civale from Tampa Bay, but one more starter could really help ease the burden on the rest of the staff. Milwaukee leads the league in the number of different players to start a game this season — and it has thrived in that scenario — but could still use a veteran playoff arm. In that sense, the Brewers aren’t likely to go big because of monetary constraints. Erick Fedde is about the most they could do. Owed $7.5 million for next season, it’s not a guarantee they would even pick him up. The return of reliever Devin Williams from injury will feel like a trade in of itself, as he and Trevor Megill will make a great one-two combo of heat and off-speed at the end of games. — Rogers
Record: 53-49
Previous ranking: 11
The Astros have reclaimed their familiar perch atop the American League West, but this team has a way to go to reaffirm its status as a pennant front-runner. First base remains an issue even after Houston moved on from Jose Abreu. Isaac Paredes of the Rays has popped up as a possible target and makes sense. So, too, does Brent Rooker of the Athletics. The Astros could scan the market for rotation depth as well but still can hope for infusions in that area from injury returnees. And of course they can plan for an impactful addition to their lineup soon when Kyle Tucker returns from injury. — Doolittle
Record: 54-46
Previous ranking: 7
As the Braves continue to struggle on offense, the lineup got dealt another blow when Ozzie Albies landed on the IL with a fractured wrist — and he’ll miss about eight weeks. Max Fried is also out with a forearm issue. Suddenly, even the wild card isn’t such a sure thing. The Braves might seek to add an outfielder (beyond already trading for Eddie Rosario), but will that be a big name like Randy Arozarena or a cheaper option like Tommy Pham?
They may also need a temporary fix for Albies, unless they think 21-year-old Nacho Alvarez can hold his own (he did have a .401 OBP in the minors). It’s also possible that the thinking is this just isn’t their year and they’ll want to hold on to their prospects, hope to win a wild-card spot and maybe get hot in the playoffs — even without Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna Jr. — Schoenfield
Record: 56-45
Previous ranking: 8
The Twins are another club looking to acquire a starting pitcher, but financial constraints — and the fact they’re in the same division as the White Sox and Tigers, teams that employ a few of the best options on the market — could further limit an already limited selection. Joe Ryan and Simeon Woods Richardson have been the club’s top two starters this season with Pablo Lopez regressing from his 2023 All-Star form. Chris Paddack going on the IL with a forearm injury for the second time this season in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery only exacerbates the need. — Castillo
Record: 56-47
Previous ranking: 13
After showing signs of slippage, Kansas City stemmed its decline before the break and roared out of it on fire, albeit against a soft schedule. No one in baseball has been hotter than Bobby Witt Jr, who looks like a superhero. Thus the buzz is back on for the Royals with the deadline bearing down. They jumped the process by acquiring reliever Hunter Harvey, but they need another arm in the back of the bullpen, and if that arm belongs to a reliable ninth-inning guy, all the better. They also need a bat for the middle of the order, and that bat needs to belong to someone who can play in the outfield in some capacity. Randy Arozarena, Brent Rooker and Cody Bellinger, if the Royals can meet the asks for them, would all be big upgrades. — Doolittle
Record: 54-47
Previous ranking: 9
The Red Sox are a team that, in a vacuum, should aggressively add for a postseason push after missing the playoffs the past two seasons. They didn’t spend much money in free agency, they reside in a major market and they are in the thick of the wild-card race. And yet that isn’t obvious under an ownership group that has tightened the payroll over the past half-decade. The Red Sox could try to walk the tightrope between adding and subtracting, but that’s proved a difficult exercise for front offices over the years. Starting pitching, a reliever or two and a right-handed hitter to better counter left-handed pitching will be on their radar, if they do add. — Castillo
Record: 53-51
Previous ranking: 10
The Mariners need offense. That has been the case since last season, and it remained the case during the first half when they built — and blew — a big lead in the division. Seattle ought to be in play for any of the biggest bats being bandied about in the rumor mill — Luis Robert Jr., Cody Bellinger, Brent Rooker, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Ideally, they’d add two or more bats. How aggressive is president of baseball operations Jerry DiPoto willing to be? Well, it’s Jerry DiPoto, right? One way or another, the next week will be very interesting. Meanwhile, the Mariners need to remind everyone why they are nominally in the “add” category in the first place. — Doolittle
Record: 54-50
Previous ranking: 12
Dylan Cease has been dominant, Matt Waldron has been a revelation and Michael King has performed up to expectations, but the Padres have received only a combined 21 starts from Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish, both of whom remain out (Darvish is on the restricted list while dealing with a personal matter; Musgrove is navigating through his second elbow-related IL stint). The Padres could stand to add another starting pitcher. And the way they performed coming out of the All-Star break — winning two of three against the Guardians, then back-to-back games against the Nationals — should push GM A.J. Preller to get into the mix there. — Gonzalez
Record: 53-50
Previous ranking: 15
A very needy D-backs rotation got a major boost Tuesday when Jordan Montgomery returned from a near-monthlong stint on the IL and limited the Royals to one run over five innings. Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly are on track for a return by early August. But the D-backs’ bullpen holds a 4.22 ERA, ranking 22nd in the majors. This is where rival executives believe the reigning National League champions will seek upgrades. — Gonzalez
Record: 53-49
Previous ranking: 14
St. Louis is another team that probably will work on the margins to bolster its wild-card chances. The Cardinals could find room for a hitter, a starter and a reliever. Whether they get all three of those things done remains to be seen. The White Sox could make a good trade partner — Erick Fedde would be a good fit, as would former Cardinal Tommy Pham. The Cardinals have put themselves in a good position in that they don’t have to make overly bold moves to play postseason baseball, but if they want to catch the Brewers in the NL Central, roster upgrades are needed. — Rogers
Record: 53-48
Previous ranking: 16
Let’s put it this way: The Mets are probably in too good of a position to consider trading any of their long list of free agents — Pete Alonso, Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, J.D. Martinez, Adam Ottavino. They have the best record in the majors since June 3, they’re scoring runs and the starting pitching, while lacking an ace, has been solid enough. The question is whether they’ll make any additions, as adding another bullpen arm makes sense. Certainly, there is the possibility that president of baseball operations David Stearns looks to add and subtract at the same time, but he’s not going to blow up the farm system in a big deal. — Schoenfield
Record: 52-50
Previous ranking: 21
One of the bigger question marks of the trade season, scouts are watching the Pirates both at the major league level and in the minors in case they do some adding and subtracting. Pittsburgh has a lot of pending free agents but probably not a lot that are desirable by other teams. Why not keep them and go for a playoff spot — even if it means adding only on the margins? That’s the Pirates’ likely course of action, and though they have one of the best starting staffs in baseball, adding another good starter to ease the burden on Paul Skenes & Co. wouldn’t be a bad idea. Having said that, they could use a bat more than anything. Small add-ons make sense here. — Rogers
Record: 50-52
Previous ranking: 17
Perhaps more than any other team, the focus for the Rangers remains on the field, even with the deadline looming just ahead. As poorly as the reigning champs have played for much of the season, they remain very much within striking distance of the AL West lead. As we all know, Texas stands to get more of a second-half boost from injury returnees than any other team. Can the Rangers pick up a game or two and look to add? Will they skid and look to offload impending free agents? The next week will be a tenuous one in Arlington. — Doolittle
Record: 51-51
Previous ranking: 20
The Rays have been hovering around .500 for a month. They are currently 4.5 games out of the third wild-card spot. Gearing up for a playoff push would make sense, but the Rays front office, always carefully calculated in their attempt to extract maximum value, appear to be going in the other direction for the trade deadline with a focus on reloading for 2025. They’ve already traded starter Aaron Civale and reliever Phil Maton. All-Star Isaac Paredes, October performer Randy Arozarena, starter Zach Eflin and relievers Jason Adam and Pete Fairbanks would all be attractive to several contenders. Tampa’s decisions could transform the market. — Castillo
Record: 50-53
Previous ranking: 23
The Tigers stand among the most intriguing teams ahead of next week’s trade deadline, for two clear reasons: Jack Flaherty and Tarik Skubal. Flaherty, signed to a one-year contract over the offseason, will undoubtedly be dealt, making him one of the most coveted arms on the market. The question, though, is Skubal. The Tigers might not be in contention this year, but they see themselves as contenders next year. Skubal, currently the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award, would be a huge part of those plans, given that he’s under team control through 2026. But the Tigers can also get a lot for him. We shall see if this dealers market tempts them. — Gonzalez
Record: 49-53
Previous ranking: 18
There was a scenario in which the Reds would be pushing in some of their chips for the stretch drive, adding a big bat or pitcher, but their season hasn’t warranted it. Much like the Cubs, they don’t have a lot to move, though they could consider trading Frankie Montas who has a $20 million mutual option next year. More than likely, they’ll do some work on the margins before Tuesday, hoping to get back into contention with their young team as is. Sometimes, the trade deadline isn’t the answer either way — adding or subtracting. That could be the case for the Reds this year. — Rogers
Record: 49-54
Previous ranking: 19
The Giants remain one of the industry’s biggest mysteries heading into the trade deadline. On one side, they’ve lost four of six coming out of the All-Star break and are now six games under .500. On the other side, though, they’re 4.5 games out of a wild-card spot and things are looking up in their rotation. Robbie Ray returned from Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, Alex Cobb should follow him days later, and Blake Snell has performed far more like the Blake Snell who won a Cy Young Award last year, allowing just two runs in his past 18 innings. So, what will the Giants do? Probably not much. Rival executives expect them to have a conservative deadline. — Gonzalez
Record: 49-55
Previous ranking: 22
Much like the Reds, the Cubs have underachieved but are without a lot of pending free agents to easily move. Their relievers have gained value in the marketplace over the last month, though, with Mark Leiter Jr. heading that list. Since returning from the IL in early July, he’s been lights out, striking out 12 of the 19 batters he’s faced. Hector Neris has also found a little groove in the ninth inning, as have several mid-game arms including veteran lefty Drew Smyly. The Cubs are likely to add and subtract before the deadline, reworking their roster in order to compete next season. If they can add some power in that process, all the better. — Rogers
Record: 47-55
Previous ranking: 24
The Nationals have several players who should be of interest to playoff contenders — although you could argue that they’re just close enough to hold on to everybody and let the season play out, especially since none of these players are going to bring back anything more than C-level prospects. Still, given their under-.500 status and that they’re still in rebuilding mode, it makes sense to make some deals. Jesse Winker and Dylan Floro are the pending free agents, so they’re most likely to go, while Lane Thomas and Kyle Finnegan have another year of team control. — Schoenfield
Record: 46-55
Previous ranking: 25
All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would have been the best position player available, but the Blue Jays aren’t expected to move him. Shortstop Bo Bichette, on the IL again for a few weeks with a calf strain, probably isn’t going anywhere either. Instead, the last-place Blue Jays, one of this season’s major disappointments, are likely to limit their activity to trading players headed toward free agency this winter. That list includes left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, catcher Danny Jansen, designated hitter Justin Turner, and relievers Yimi Garcia and Trevor Richards. — Castillo
Record: 45-57
Previous ranking: 26
The Angels have a chance over the next few months to get their much-needed reset into motion by leveraging the trade market. They have to take it. The pending free agents, led by closer Carlos Estevez, must go. But L.A. should be aggressively soliciting calls on players with post-2024 control, especially Tyler Anderson and Taylor Ward. The list of possible subtractions is long, as, despite the Angels’ struggles, they have a number of useful veteran role players: Brandon Drury, Taylor Ward, Luis Rengifo. Can they find a taker for Reid Detmers as a reclamation project? Do they want to maximize the trade value of Jo Adell? There are no bad questions here. — Doolittle
Record: 41-63
Previous ranking: 27
The A’s have been a plucky bunch for much of the season. Lately, they have been flat-out explosive, with several double-digit offensive outbursts on the ledger. The deadline is often a downer for Athletics fans but, let’s face it, things can’t get much worse for that group considering they are losing their entire team. Meanwhile, Oakland has a number of intriguing targets for contenders, including Brent Rooker, Mason Miller, Lucas Erceg (currently on the IL), J.P. Sears and T.J. McFarland. Of those, Miller would obviously merit the strongest return. Other sleeper possibilities include J.J. Bleday and Miguel Andujar. In a sense, the A’s are in a strong position: They don’t have to move any of these guys. — Doolittle
Record: 38-65
Previous ranking: 28
Given the overall need for impactful offensive players leading up to this year’s trade deadline, the Rockies could do pretty well by trading Ryan McMahon, the veteran third baseman who has come into his own in his age-29 season. But McMahon said at the All-Star Game that he has been assured he won’t be traded. The Rockies, who signed him to a six-year, $70 million extension last March, clearly see him as a core member to build around. So instead, they’ll dangle the likes of Elias Diaz, Cal Quantrill and Austin Gomber and not build for the future as much as they should, which is quite typical. — Gonzalez
Record: 37-65
Previous ranking: 29
The Marlins have two impending free agents in Tanner Scott and Josh Bell. Scott will be one of the most sought-after players on the market as a high-leverage reliever who is affordable and won’t cost the acquiring team major prospect capital. Bell is having a bad season and probably untradable with his contract. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is certainly an interesting name, and while he’s under team control through 2026, there are some contenders who could use a center fielder and might be willing to consider a big deal (Phillies, Dodgers, Pirates). Other relievers like A.J. Puk and Anthony Bender could also go. — Schoenfield
Record: 27-77
Previous ranking: 30
The question isn’t if the White Sox should deal players, it’s how far will they go? Names on the block include Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert Jr., Erick Fedde, Chris Flexen, Michael Kopech, Tommy Pham and Paul DeJong, just to name a few. First year GM Chris Getz will move anything not tied down in an effort to start over.
The semi-unusual thing is he’s not just looking at pending free agents or even those with 1.5 years of control. Basically, anyone with three years or fewer before free agency could be on the move. This is truly starting over for Chicago. — Rogers
