The Yankees and the 17 Most Desperate Teams Ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline
The Yankees and the 17 Most Desperate Teams Ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline0 of 12
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
With Major League Baseball’s trade deadline looming next Tuesday, at least half the teams in the league should have it in mind to lean into contention.
But some should be more desperate than others, right?
Right, indeed. And the idea here is to sort the league’s foremost contenders—in this case, the 17 teams that went into Thursday with winning records—by how strong their urgency should be as the July 30 deadline bears down.
This partly concerns how open teams’ contention windows are and how long they figure to remain that way. It’s otherwise about what teams need and what they stand to gain if they do what they must.
Either way, suggestions for players each team should target will be provided along the way.
Starting with two unlikely bedfellows, let’s count ’em down. And be warned that the first 10 teams are lumped together in pairs of two.
17 and 16: Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets1 of 12
Paul SkenesJoe Sargent/Getty Images
Pirates Record: 52-50, 3rd in NL Central
Mets Record: 54-48, 3rd in NL East
The Pirates (29th in MLB) and Mets (2nd in MLB) occupy totally opposite spheres when it comes to payroll, yet they’re in a similar sort of niche as contenders.
Not much was expected of either club coming into 2024, so them being in the thick of the National League wild-card race is akin to a happy accident. And neither necessarily needs to lean into it. Paul Skenes is merely the first of many talented young players still to come in Pittsburgh, while the Mets have a top-10 farm system in their own right.
All the same, both have reasons not to ignore opportunity while it’s knocking. There are pending free agents aplenty on both sides, including club legend Andrew McCutchen for the Pirates and slugger Pete Alonso for the Mets.
Where these two clubs certainly differ is in their needs. The Mets could use relief help, while the Pirates have a weak offense that especially demands upgrades in the outfield.
Targets for the Pirates: Tommy Pham, Lane Thomas, Jesse Winker, Taylor Ward
Targets for the Mets: Tanner Scott, Carlos Estévez, Kyle Finnegan, Chad Green
15 and 14: Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox 2 of 12
Alex CoraRich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Royals Record: 56-47, 3rd in AL Central
Red Sox Record: 54-47, 3rd in AL East
What binds the Royals and the Red Sox together is this: Both teams have just been way, way more fun than anyone could have expected.
Like with the Pirates and Mets, though, there is the question of how much either team should treat 2024 as a chance too good to pass up. Both of their contention windows are only just opening, so there’s sense in holding on to prospects rather than trading them. This is especially relevant to Boston, which has MLB’s No. 8 farm system.
Yet a substantially weaker system (i.e., No. 28) has the Royals in a slightly different boat. And while many of their best players are locked up beyond 2024, the Red Sox do stand to lose Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, Nick Pivetta and Tyler O’Neill to free agency this winter.
The Red Sox are openly seeking help for a pitching staff that has fallen on hard times of late. The Royals need as much offense as they can get, especially in the outfield and at designated hitter.
Targets for the Royals: Pham, Thomas, Winker, Ward, Brent Rooker, Joc Pederson, Justin Turner
Targets for the Red Sox: Jameson Taillon, Nathan Eovaldi, Tyler Anderson
13 and 12: Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals3 of 12
Paul GoldschmidtCasey Sykes/Getty Images
Twins Record: 56-45, 2nd in AL Central
Cardinals Record: 53-49, 2nd in NL Central
Here’s where we turn a corner, as there’s no question the Twins and Cardinals should be going for it.
Both clubs would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, and both likewise have reasons not to choose patience over urgency. The Cardinals have a veteran core that includes a major pending free agent in Paul Goldschmidt. The Twins, meanwhile, should perceive a healthy, upgraded version of their roster as one that could do damage in October.
The problem for both teams is financial. Both are among the last 12 teams still under the Bally Sports umbrella. The Twins don’t have any leeway to add payroll, while the Cardinals are already over what they put into their payroll in 2023.
Pitching must nonetheless be a priority for both teams, and the less risky, the better. The Twins are known to be looking into rentals, specifically.
Targets for the Twins: Jack Flaherty, Yusei Kikuchi, Michael Lorenzen, Frankie Montas
Targets for the Cardinals: Eovaldi, Anderson, Zach Eflin, Erick Fedde
11 and 10: Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres4 of 12
Manny Machado (L) and Jurickson Profar (R)Greg Fiume/Getty Images
Diamondbacks Record: 53-50, 3rd in NL West
Padres Record: 55-50, 2nd in NL West
And now for two teams that have both poured a ton of money into climbing the NL West standings in recent years.
Nevertheless, how much more the Diamondbacks and Padres can invest is…uncertain, to say the least. Arizona is operating with a significantly higher payroll than it had in 2023. The opposite is true of the Padres, but their cost-cutting was by design and it continued even with their trade for Luis Arraez in May.
Yet abandoning the pursuit isn’t a good option for either, even if neither is likely to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers. The goal should be to make the playoffs and hope to get hot, which both the Padres (from 2022) and Diamondbacks (from 2023) know is not a fool’s hope.
The Padres are always a threat to go big, and were even linked to Garrett Crochet for a second there. The D-backs could simply place their faith in guys about to come off the IL, but more relief pitching isn’t a bad idea even after their trade for A.J. Puk on Thursday.
Targets for the Diamondbacks: Scott, Estévez, Finnegan, Green
Targets for the Padres: Crochet, Eovaldi, Eflin, Fedde
9 and 8: Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers5 of 12
Steven Vogt (L) and Logan Allen (R)Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Guardians Record: 61-41, 1st in AL Central
Brewers Record: 59-43, 1st in NL Central
Neither the Guardians nor the Brewers were anyone’s favorite to win their respective divisions coming into 2024, but both are threatening to go wire-to-wire.
In theory, this should mean that both are all-in. In actuality, these are low-revenue clubs that have been known to keep a tight lid on young talent. It’s hard to imagine that changing now, especially since they’re also under the Bally Sports umbrella.
Still, doing nothing would constitute a dereliction of duty for both front offices. And they have a common need on the mound, where the Guardians have notably gotten an MLB-low 0.4 WAR from their starting pitchers.
The Brewers also need to worry about their outfield, which has lost the resurgent Christian Yelich for an uncertain amount of time because of a serious back issue. There’s no replacing him, but they should at least try if they must.
Targets for the Guardians: Flaherty, Kikuchi, Lorenzen, Montas
Targets for the Brewers: Those same guys plus Rooker, Pham, Thomas, Winker, Ward
7. Philadelphia Phillies6 of 12
Bryce HarperMatt Krohn/Getty Images
Record: 64-38, 1st in NL East
The Phillies could do absolutely nothing at the trade deadline, and they’d still be the favorites to represent the National League in the World Series.
They’ve been on top of MLB for a while now, even in the face of a few notable injury scares. Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are all back in the lineup after spending time on the IL. Sometime in August, Taijuan Walker and Spencer Turnbull should do the same as options for the rotation.
Then again, why should the Phillies leave good enough alone after experiencing crushing defeats in October in each of the last two seasons?
Center field is the most obvious weakness the club could address, specifically with a hitter who could improve its .602 OPS. Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is also eyeing starting pitching.
Center Field Targets: Luis Robert Jr., Jazz Chisholm Jr., JJ Bleday
Starting Pitching Targets: Crochet, Flaherty, Eovaldi, Tarik Skubal (no, really)
6. Atlanta7 of 12
Max FriedRich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Record: 54-47, 2nd in NL East
Even if Atlanta doesn’t have much of a chance to finish in its customary position atop the NL East, they’re the best bet to survive the Senior Circuit’s crowded wild-card race.
They already hold the No. 1 spot, and they can hope for reinforcements off the injured list as the season winds down. It isn’t clear exactly when Max Fried, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II will be back, but their injuries shouldn’t be season-ending.
Unlike the Phillies, though, Atlanta is staring down some post-2024 uncertainty. Fried and Charlie Morton are both on expiring contracts, as is A.J. Minter. And as brilliant as Chris Sale has been this year, he’s a 35-year-old with a lot of pitches on his left arm.
At the least, Atlanta needs to take a lesson from 2021 and seek a capable stand-in for Ronald Acuña Jr. while he’s out with a torn ACL. At least a back-end starter would also be a good idea.
Outfield Targets: Robert, Bleday, Rooker, Ward
Starting Pitching Targets: Kikuchi, Lorenzen, Montas
5. Seattle Mariners8 of 12
Julio RodrÃguez (C)Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Record: 53-51, 2nd in AL West
The Mariners struck for the first major deal of the trade deadline late on Thursday night, acquiring left fielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays.
He’ll fit right in. Left field has been an offensive black hole all year for Seattle, producing a .661 OPS and only 10 home runs. Arozarena, an erstwhile Rookie of the Year and All-Star, is on his way to topping 20 homers and 20 stolen bases for a fourth year in a row.
Now all the Mariners need is even more offense. It’s been a problem all year and it’s only getting worse. The team is hitting .200 amid its 9-20 slump since June 19, and Julio RodrÃguez and J.P. Crawford are facing extended absences with injuries.
First base and DH should be next up on Seattle’s upgrade wish list, and the stakes are high indeed. With better hitters behind it, a pitching staff that is allowing an MLB-low .215 average could take this team deep into October. But first, the Mariners need to get there.
First Base Targets: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Isaac Paredes, Yandy DÃaz
DH Targets: Rooker, Pederson, Turner
4. Baltimore Orioles9 of 12
Corbin BurnesCharles Brock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Record: 61-41, 1st in AL East
There’s an argument that the Orioles and “desperate” don’t belong in the same sentence.
No team is better positioned for sustained success than they are, and especially on the offensive side of the ball. They’re the top run-scoring team in the American League, and virtually all of their best hitters are under club control for the foreseeable future.
That “virtually” is nonetheless necessary because Anthony Santander, who’s second on the team with 27 home runs, is slated for free agency this winter. So, too, is 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes.
In lieu of hoping that even better times come in the future, the Orioles might as well lean into the good times while they’re happening. And between MLB’s fifth-ranked farm system and potentially payroll flexibility as well, they have what they need to go get the key pitchers their rotation and bullpen are lacking.
Starting Pitching Targets: Skubal, Crochet, Flaherty, Eovaldi, Taillon
Relief Pitching Targets: Mason Miller (health permitting), Scott, Pete Fairbanks
3. Los Angeles Dodgers10 of 12
Shohei Ohtani (L) and Clayton Kershaw (R)Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
Record: 62-42, 1st in NL West
The Dodgers have done everything during their 12-year run as the winning-est team in MLB…except, of course, win the World Series in a non-shortened season.
Mind you, they are going to have more chances to do so after 2024. Their core of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto is as strong as cores get, and not one of them is on a contract that will run out any time soon.
Yet there is the matter of Teoscar Hernández’s looming free agency. And also of the future of Clayton Kershaw, for whom retirement seemed like a real possibility up until he re-signed back in February.
The Dodgers aren’t short on needs despite their place in the standings, and it’s hard to even rank them in order of importance. But they definitely need a bat, preferably for the outfield. And if they can also upgrade their rotation and their bullpen, that would be swell.
Outfield Targets: Robert, Chisholm, Bleday
Starting Pitching Targets: Skubal, Crochet, Flaherty
Relief Pitching Targets: Miller, Scott, Fairbanks
2. Houston Astros11 of 12
Alex BregmanTim Warner/Getty Images
Record: 53-49, 1st in AL West
Like the Dodgers, the Astros also have a strong core. Unlike the Dodgers, theirs is not made to last.
Alex Bregman is a candidate to leave in free agency this winter, and the time Justin Verlander has spent on the injured list has basically rendered his 2025 vesting option moot. For their parts, Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez are looking at free agency after next season.
This year may represent the last best chance for the Astros to add another World Series title to their collection. And if they do, the 2024 title plus their 2022 title would go a long way toward covering up the stain of their 2017 title.
Though a bottom-five farm system and the luxury tax won’t help their cause, the Astros reportedly want rotation help and an upgrade at first base. The former has been battling injuries all year, while the latter has accounted for a league-low minus-1.3 WAR.
First Base Targets: Guerrero, Paredes, DÃaz
Starting Pitching Targets: Eovaldi, Anderson, Eflin, Taillon
1. New York Yankees12 of 12
Gerrit ColeJim McIsaac/Getty Images
Record: 60-44, 2nd in AL East
The Yankees have 27 championships and the second-greatest valuation out of all sports franchises…yet they’re mired in a 14-year drought for even reaching the World Series.
There would therefore be humongous pressure on them to do something in the next few days even if everything was hunky-dory. And this, of course, is not the case. The Yankees are slumping so badly that only the White Sox have lost more games since June 15.
It’s also not just Juan Soto who is due for free agency this winter. Clay Holmes, Gleyber Torres and Alex Verdugo are as well. And while neither is going anywhere any time soon, Aaron Judge (32), Gerrit Cole (33) and Giancarlo Stanton (34) aren’t getting any younger.
It would be easier to list the areas where the Yankees don’t have needs, but they would especially benefit from an impact bat, rotation depth and a late-inning reliever.
General manager Brian Cashman should aim to whack all these moles like his job depends on it. Because given the circumstances, it just might.
Impact Bat Targets: Chisholm, Paredes, DÃaz, Jonathan India, Luis Rengifo
Starting Pitching Targets: Skubal, Crochet, Flaherty, Taillon
Relief Pitching Targets: Miller, Scott, Fairbanks, Estévez
