We are less than a week away from the 2026 MLB trade deadline. There has been only one notable trade so far (the Connelly-Early-for-Curtis-Mead swap), but more are on the way. The smaller moves will trickle in these next few days before the biggest moves go down just before Monday's 6 p.m. ET deadline. The muddled standings, however, have made buyers and sellers harder to distinguish.
With all that in mind, let's lay out some hypothetical trades we think make sense with the deadline a week away. To be clear, these are not predictions (we've already done those). These are player-to-team trade scenarios that we think make the most sense and that we'd like to see before Monday's deadline. Got it? Good. Let's get to it.
Tarik Skubal to the Brewers
I'm a little frustrated by the Brewers, who have been one of the best teams in baseball the last few years but haven't done a whole lot at the trade deadline historically. Last year, they added Danny Jansen, Brandon Lockridge, and Shelby Miller at the deadline (and Andrew Vaughn in June). Two years ago, they added Frankie Montas and Nick Mears. Three years ago, it was Mark Canha, Andrew Chafin, and Carlos Santana. All fine moves in a vacuum, but not all-in "we want to win the World Series" moves.
The Brewers are again one of the best teams in baseball this season, and in our "moves we'd like to see" universe, I think there should be motivation to bring in Tarik Skubal, who can swing a postseason series on his own. Christian Yelich is maybe starting to show his age. William Contreras will be a free agent after next season, which, in Brewers World, means he'll be a trade candidate this offseason. Jacob Misiorowski won't be this forever (or will he?). The farm system is very deep and Skubals are not available every trade deadline. This is a good time to make that all-in move and try to get over the hump and win a World Series.
Mason Miller to the White Sox
The upstart White Sox need a controllable starting pitcher more than they need a controllable closer, but they can get both, right? This is a team on the cusp of perennial contention thanks to its young position player core and strong farm system, which recently added 2026 No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky. Trade for Mason Miller now and he's in on the ground floor, and you have a fierce 1-2 punch at the end of games with him and Grant Taylor. The White Sox would be playing six-inning games in October, given Taylor's ability to go multiple innings.
It might be now or never for the White Sox and Miller. If he doesn't move at the deadline, more teams figure to get in on the bidding in the offseason. Teams that aren't in the race now but will go into the winter with designs on contention in 2027. The Blue Jays, the Mets, etc. Add Miller now, sign a starter or two in the offseason, and the White Sox will have a chance to enter the "best team in the American League" conversation as early as next season. It's a win-now and win-later move given Miller's three additional years of team control.
Clay Holmes to the Cubs
It is more likely the Cubs trade for Freddy Peralta, who knows manager Craig Counsell well from their time together with the Brewers, but I think Clay Holmes is simply the better pitcher right now. Higher quality stuff, better bet to give you innings, more adaptable if you want to use him out of the bullpen. Holmes hasn't appeared in an MLB game since a comebacker broke his leg on May 15, but he made a (heavily scouted) minor-league rehab start on Tuesday and should be big-league-ready soon. Peralta is the sexier name and he's had the better career up to this point. Right now, though, for the rest of 2026, give me Holmes. He's the Mets pitcher the Cubs should target, not Peralta.
Ryan Jeffers to the Yankees
This almost feels fait accompli. The Yankees badly need a catcher, specifically a right-handed hitter, and Ryan Jeffers is exactly that. He's a rental too, so even though the Twins are hanging around the wild-card race, they could justify trading him rather than losing him for nothing in the offseason. Minnesota has carried three catchers since Jeffers came off the injured list on July 10 (also Victor Caratini and Alex Jackson). In one move, they can clear that logjam and import young pieces who can help with the postseason push right now, not necessarily prospects who are two or three years away. The Yankees get the righty-hitting catcher they need and the Twins turn their most obvious trade chip into younger, more long-term pieces.
Luis Arraez to the Rays
A power-hitting outfielder would make more sense given how few homers the Rays get from players other than Junior Caminero. There aren't many of those available, though, plus Luis Arraez better fits Tampa's extreme contact approach. They haven't gotten much offensively from second base at all this season. Arraez fits like a glove. He lines up offensively and positionally, especially if you buy into his improved defense. This is one of the more obvious trade matches of the summer.
Casey Mize to the Braves
If the Tigers trade Skubal, something that seems increasingly likely, they might as well trade Casey Mize too. He's another rental. The Braves really need another starter to buttress a rotation that is counting a little too much on Bryce Elder and Martín Pérez these days. Mize's ongoing groin issue (he's currently on the injured list for the third time this season with it) is the X-factor here. For our purposes, we'll assume the Braves or whichever team trades for him are comfortable with the medicals. Mize has been terrific when healthy this year and might be a better bang for the buck than Skubal, given the potential asking prices.
Lane Thomas to the Phillies
Phillies right fielders have been among the worst in baseball and their right-handed hitters have, literally, been the worst in baseball by OPS. This team badly needs a right-handed-hitting outfielder, which, unfortunately, is a profile in short supply. Lane Thomas is a solid enough all-around player who will help offensively, defensively, and on the bases. He's better as a platoon guy than as an everyday player, but, in this market, Thomas is a better play than a bigger name but more limited player like Jo Adell. Compared to what the Phillies have gotten from their right fielders this season, Thomas will look like prime Bobby Abreu.
George Springer to the Guardians
Another team with right-handed hitter issues, the Guardians must do something to lengthen their lineup. They need any kind of offense. The Guardians rarely swing big at the deadline, and while George Springer is a household name, he's a platoon guy/lower-level bat at this point, not someone who will cost your firstborn in a trade. That's more up Cleveland's alley. The Blue Jays and Guardians have hooked up for several trades over the last 18 months or so (Shane Bieber, Andrés Giménez, Myles Straw). The supply (Springer is a rental) and demand (the Guardians need a bat) align. Springer can DH and push Chase DeLauter to right field.
Heliot Ramos to the Mariners
So much of the Mariners' offensive problems boil down to "the guys we already have need to play better," none more than Josh Naylor and Cal Raleigh. There is definitely room to add a bat, though, particularly a right-handed hitter who can DH and play a corner outfield spot. Heliot Ramos is that right-handed hitter. He's averaged 24 homers per 162 games since 2024 while playing his home games in pitcher-friendly Oracle Park. Seattle may not love his defense, but his power can play at T-Mobile Park and he comes with an additional three years of control. That will help the 2027-29 Mariners, given Randy Arozarena's upcoming free agency.
Max Scherzer to the Nationals
This last one is purely sentimental. Max Scherzer has not announced any retirement plans (if anything, he's indicated the opposite: that he wants to keep playing), but his body might be telling him he's nearing the end of the line, given all these nagging injuries. The Nationals are hanging around the wild-card race and are playing meaningful enough baseball. When you're starting Miles Mikolas every fifth day, you can run Scherzer out there too. It would be a neat little homecoming and might even be an upgrade given the state of Washington's rotation.
