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Even though the MLB trade deadline is still a ways off, it's starting to get late early for some teams across Major League Baseball. With July 31 serving as the league-wide trade ultimatum, we are roughly a month away from the hot stove reaching it's inferno. However, there are a handful of teams who we can pretty confidently say are going to be sellers around the deadline. Who are they, what do they have to offer, and how could the Boston Red Sox benefit? Let's dive in.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are 12 games below .500 and 13 games out of a playoff spot. They acknowledged a multi-year rebuild over the offseason, so it shouldn't be surprising that they are sellers once again. Potential rentals include outfielders Michael A. Taylor and Austin Slater, as well as recently-acquired starter Aaron Civale. Otherwise, intriguing players who are controlled beyond 2025 include infielder Josh Rojas and outfielder Mike Tauchman. However, it’s more realistic that teams aggressively kick the tires on outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who has been the subject of trade speculation for a while now. Robert Jr. signed a pre arbitration extension that included $20 million team options for 2026 and 2027 that can be bought out for $2 million. Once a top prospect in baseball, the 28-year-old has had a hard time staying healthy throughout his career and has struggled at the plate over the last two seasons.
Given the Red Sox's glut of outfielders, it's possible both sides simply don't match up on a trade. However, given their existing rapport following the Garrett Crochet blockbuster, don't count out the Sox dealing with each other again.
Athletics
The Athletics have been in a free fall ever since they started their season 22-20. In their last 28 games, they have just four wins. While they are a young team with some exciting talent, they're obviously not ready yet and have a handful of rentals that teams could kick the tires on. Most notably are utility players Miguel Andujar and Luis Urias, who have both produced above average at the plate. Third baseman Gio Urshela is more than two years removed from his last productive season and has a mediocre glove at the hot corner, but could be an intriguing option to handle the short side of a platoon. On the mound, Jose Leclerc and T.J. McFarland are two potential reliever rentals, though Leclerc has been sidelined with a lat strain since April and McFarland has been plain bad. It seems likely that at least one of Andujar, Urias, or Urshela is traded ahead of the deadline, though, again, the Red Sox may not be the best fit here.
Baltimore Orioles
Injuries aside, it's still pretty shocking to see the Orioles struggling this much. After winning 91 games and earning a playoff berth in 2024, they are currently 13 games below .500 and 8.5 games out of a playoff spot. The difference here is that the Orioles are not in the midst of a rebuild, so it's likely they limit their moves to players on expiring deals. Those names include: pitchers Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Gregory Soto, as well as outfielder Cedric Mullins. Of those players, Eflin, Sugano, and Soro are having successful seasons on the mound and will draw significant trade interest. However, two names that have been the subject of trade rumors but are controllable beyond 2025 are first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Heston Kjerstad. Mountcastle, who will miss the next 8-12 weeks with a hamstring strain, is having a down year with a .628 OPS and two home runs. Kjerstad, who was recently optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, has also struggled this season but has often found himself as the odd man out of a stacked group of young talent. An intra-divisional trade seems unlikely on the surface, but a first baseman of the future or a talented reliever could be in the cards if Boston and Baltimore put their differences aside.
Red Sox Needs
Whether the Red Sox will be buyers or sellers will really depend on how the next month pans out. At 34-36, they're well within striking distance of a wild card spot. In one sense, it's a miracle they're only two games below .500, considering the number of injuries they've been dealing with on both sides of the ball. It's those very injuries and the sense of hope that as those players return, that may convince the Red Sox to be buyers. In recent weeks, rumors started swirling that the Red Sox would be open to dealing Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu. Perhaps they are looking to flip some offense for pitching, especially in the rotation. Currently, the Red Sox's starting rotation is in the bottom half of the league by many metrics. Something needs to be done to give Crochet a true running mate.
Do you think the Red Sox should buy-in at the deadline, sell or stand pat? Join the conversation in the comments!
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