Ranking the top 10 MLB trade targets

Taylor Ward is an underrated bat with serious power, with 12 home runs in 70 games with a 110 wRC+ this season. He has a good right-handed bat that can help any outfield, and his +2 Fielding Run Value in the outfield is also useful. He has a .343 OBP and 49 home runs in 302 games dating back to 2022, and a good team could get more out of that bat than the Los Angeles Angels.

Zach Eflin’s ERA of 4.12 is not a reflection of how good he really is, as the 1.33 HR/9 pace is something that won’t be sustained all season. He’s a control artist with solid stuff, and his 3.78 FIP and 3.45 xERA are indicators that Eflin is due for positive regression. The Tampa Bay Rays could move him and his roughly $20 million in salary between this year and next to help pay some payroll costs.

Jack Flaherty has a 3.01 ERA and a 33.3% strikeout rate through 13 starts on the season, demonstrating an excellent ability to limit damage contact and pick up scents. He is one of the best right-handed pitchers in baseball this season, and people are overlooking him because of his struggles the past two seasons. Few pitchers do what he does in terms of strikeout rates, command and damage prevention, and this could be a frontline option for everyone.

While the underlying stats for Tanner Scott aren’t great, he has a 1.86 ERA and was one of the best relievers in the game last year. He has the lowest ERA among left-handed relievers dating back to last season, with the second-most strikeouts, and with the Miami Marlins being one of the worst teams in the game, you can expect him to be readily available for teams to to pick up. the last year of his contract.

Pete Alonso should be higher on this list if you’re just looking at home runs, but from a player value perspective, he’s more of a good player than a star. He is the sixth-best first baseman offensively according to wRC+ and he is a bottom 10 defensive first baseman according to several metrics. He has excellent tools, but the production hasn’t been there to appreciate him as anything more than a solid player (which is more than fine).

Isaac Parades is one of the most underrated players in all of baseball. He has the 15th best qualified wRC+ (137) going back to 2023. While the Rays aren’t terrible, they could be sellers at the trade deadline since the AL East has two titans at the top of the division. He’ll be in charge for several years after this season, and the Tampa Bay Rays could pull off a win and provide a contender with a top-tier corner infielder.

The White Sox suck, so they get two players on this list, and Garrett Crochet is one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball. He ranks fifth in fWAR (2.6) and first in strikeout rate (35.7%) among starting pitchers, and Crochet could end up being the best pitcher traded at the deadline. He has a devastating fastball-cutter combination, and teams should be all over his profile, even with the lack of MLB innings.

The Diamondbacks may not sell, but if they do, Christian Walker’s 130 wRC+ and +6 Defensive Runs Saved make him one of the best first basemen in baseball. Very quietly, he has the fourth-best WAR among first basemen going back to 2022, and he has shown the ability to shoot the baseball over the fence with excellent defensive value. We’re looking at one of the best players at his position, and any team in need of a first baseman would love to have him.

Mason Miller leads all relievers in strikeout rate (47.1%) and has some of the best stuff in baseball. With an ERA of 2.27 and a fastball velocity of 100.9 MPH, this is an overwhelming weapon that the Oakland Athletics could consider considering how many teams would be willing to go out and spend top dollar to a demon that lasts several innings. This is one of the best relievers in the game and he has five more years in charge after this season.

Luis Robert Jr., one of the best players in the game, could be the biggest star to move this trade deadline as the White Sox are terrible and he is their best hitter. While his 108 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR aren’t great, it’s only 19 games and the power has been insane since returning with 7 home runs. He’s a star, MVP candidate, and could be seen as the final piece that pushes a team to the promised land come October.