25 MLB players that could be traded during the 2025 season

One of the most discussed trade candidates all winter was Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, and it comes as at least a little bit of a surprise that he's still with St. Louis now. The Cardinals were vocal about their desire to move the veteran to shed payroll this winter, but that was a complicated endeavor considering his no-trade clause. Arenado is an eight-time all-star and ten-time Gold Glove winner, but at 33 years old his offensive production has dipped for four consecutive seasons. St. Louis would trade him today if a team that he would agree to play for made them a realistic offer, so this situation will be monitored almost daily. 

Dylan Cease is the most interesting player potentially on the trade market, for the simple reason that there's not really a good reason for him to be available. The Padres have been a playoff team in two of the last three years and on paper are geared up to make another October run. So why could Cease be dealt? San Diego's ownership situation has been in a state of flux since the death of Peter Seidler, with lawsuits and infighting amongst his relatives over the control of the organization. That uncertainty has made the team's payroll a serious point of discussion, and dealing Cease for prospects would obviously alleviate some money from the books. He's also set to be a free agent at the end of 2025, so in the event the Padres fall out of contention he'll almost certainly be moved. Right now, it feels unlikely San Diego would trade its best pitcher before opening day, but it also would not be stunning. 

One of the worst-kept secrets of the offseason was the fact that the Mariners were listening to offers for three-time All-Star starting pitcher Luis Castillo, with an eye towards a potential trade that would help add offense to a lineup that really needed some more punch. Such a deal never came to fruition, but just because something doesn't happen in the winter doesn't mean it won't be revisited later on. Seattle certainly believes it can compete in the AL West, and by most measures it should be right in the mix with the likes of Houston and Texas. But in the event they struggle, someone like Castillo, a veteran who owns a lifetime 3.56 ERA in more than 200 Major League starts and comes with years of team control, could hypothetically fetch a bounty in July. 

In a relatively short amount of time, Seattle righty Andres Munoz has developed into one of the most dominant late inning relievers in all of baseball. The 26-year-old missed all of 2020 and most of 2021 due to injury, but over the last three seasons has been nothing short of dominant coming out of the Mariners bullpen. In 2024 he was especially good, converting 22 of his 27 save chances while pitching to a 2.12 ERA and striking out 77 hitters in 59.1 innings. Seattle holds club options on Munoz for each of the next three seasons so he does have some team control left, which could make him even more attractive in potential trade talks if the M's have a disappointing first half. 

Chicago's Luis Robert was long considered one of the most talented all around prospects in baseball, and prior to ever debuting in the Major Leagues had drawn comparisons to Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr. Injuries were the only thing preventing Robert from realizing his true potential during his first few years at the highest level, but in 2023 the White Sox finally got to see what he could do with a full season. In 150 games that year, Robert slashed .264/.315/.542 with 38 homers, 80 RBI, 36 doubles, and 20 stolen bases. He easily made his first all-star team, and heading into last year Chicago was thrilled to see what he could do for an encore. Unfortunately, the injury bug struck again, and the White Sox were so comically bad they set a new single season loss record. That prompted the club to trade away its ace, Garrett Crochet, for prospects this winter, and it would not be surprising if Robert was the next to go. 

Not too long ago, right-hander Jose Leclerc was considered one of baseball's most electric relief arms. He was a mainstay in the Texas bullpen from '17-'19, before missing most of 2020 and all of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Leclerc returned from the surgery and picked up right where he left off, and in 2024 he actually threw the 2nd most innings of his career. His lifetime ERA of 3.27 in 350 Major League appearances is obviously impressive, and the fact that he's struck out 473 hitters in 360.1 big league innings indicates he has what it takes to pitch late in games. Leclerc signed with the Athletics this winter, and if he has a good first half there's a very good chance he could be one of the most sought after relievers at the deadline in July. 

Back to the Padres rotation. Similarly to Dylan Cease, there's not a good reason a team looking to contend in 2025 should be entertaining the idea of dealing away Michael King, but as I mentioned earlier, the Padres are in a unique situation. King was arguably the biggest piece San Diego brought back from the Yankees in exchange for Juan Soto a year ago, and his first season in SoCal was the best of his career. In 31 outings (30 starts), the righty pitched to a 2.95 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP across 173.2 innings. He proved himself to be more than capable of being a successful starting pitcher at this level, something he was never really given the opportunity to establish in the Bronx. King's contract holds a mutual option for 2026 so San Diego conceivably should be able to pencil him in its rotation for the next two years, though his name was mentioned extensively in trade rumors for much of the winter. It will be interesting to monitor the whole situation with the Padres as the season gets underway in just a couple weeks.

Most MLB trades that occur during the season are borne from the same motivation. One team is falling out of contention and chooses to deal its valuable pieces to contending clubs in exchange for young minor league talent. That doesn't exactly apply to Jeff McNeil and the Mets, however. Fresh off a run to the NLCS, New York expects to make another deep October push this fall. So why would they consider trading a former NL batting champion? Well, McNeil has not quite been the same hitter since his magical season in 2022, and he doesn't hit for enough power to justify his starting position if he's not hitting for average or getting on base. The Mets also have a trio of young players they're excited about--Luisangel Acuna, Ronny Mauricio, and Jett Williams--who could all conceivably take over at position number four on your scorecard. 

The Angels have not qualified for the postseason since 2014 and have not won a playoff game since 2009. Don't expect either of those trends to come to an end here in '25. Los Angeles was active in its efforts to improve the team this winter, but on paper anyway are still noticeably behind almost every team in the AL West. That's why right-handed swinging Taylor Ward could become a very interesting name this July. The 31-year-old still has a couple seasons of team control, but it's exceedingly unlikely he's going to be a part of the next good Angels team. Last season Ward set new career highs in home runs (25), RBI (75), doubles (26), and hits (144). He has the versatility to play all of the outfield positions as well as both corner infield spots, and could become a very attractive piece for contenders to consider in a few months. 

Southpaw Martin Perez has been a serviceable big league starting pitcher for 13 years. He's never really been considered a star and has made only one Major League all-star team, but Perez consistently takes the ball every 5th day and gives his team a chance. He owns a lifetime 4.44 ERA across 314 career outings, and just last year went from Pittsburgh to San Diego in a deadline deal. The 33-year-old signed a free-agent contract with the White Sox this winter, and I think it would be a huge surprise if he finished the season in the Windy City. Pitchers that can reliably make their starts and give their team innings are always valuable, and Perez jumps off the page as an obvious July trade candidate. 

Kenley Jansen is one of the best late inning relievers our sport has ever seen, and he actually enters 2025 4th on MLB's all-time saves list. Even at 37-years-old the veteran righty is still going strong, and he's coming off an impressive season with the Red Sox. In 54 outings in '24, Jansen pitched to a 3.29 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP, while nailing down 27 saves and striking out 62 hitters in 54.2 frames. Boston felt it could improve its late inning relief and is going to deploy Aroldis Chapman and Liam Hendriks at the end of games in 2025, and did not pursue a reunion with Jansen, who had to go all the way to southern California to find an open closing situation with the Angels. That said, if Los Angeles fails to be a surprise contender in the season ahead, don't be surprised for a second if Jansen is traded to a team with World Series aspirations. 

Yandy Diaz has spent the last six seasons as the starting first baseman in Tampa Bay, and there's certainly no denying his ability to hit. Including the early portion of his career in Cleveland, Diaz has played in 754 Major League games, slashing .288/.373/.433 with 75 home runs and 155 doubles. He won the batting title in 2023, and while he doesn't put up the exaggerated power numbers you might expect from an offensively oriented first baseman, he's still obviously a huge asset to the Rays line-up. He's also starting to get close to free-agency, and we know how that typically plays out in Tampa Bay. After an impressive five-year run, last season the Rays missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Should they find themselves struggling to contend later this summer, it would not come as a surprise to hear Diaz's name mentioned as a potential trade chip. 

Sticking with the Rays, closer Pete Fairbanks is exactly the type of arm contending teams typically target in late July. Like the above mentioned Diaz, his contract with Tampa Bay includes an option for 2026 so he's not necessarily in a contract season, but if the Rays are not in the mix for a playoff spot you will hear his name mentioned in trade rumors. Last season the 31-year-old was brought in to pitch in 46 of Tampa Bay's contests, and worked to a 3.57 ERA in 45.1 innings while converting 23 saves. 

The Blue Jays are going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch in 2025, as they desperately want to contend in a difficult AL East and are under pressure to do so immediately. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are both set to be free agents at year's end, and while Toronto clearly would like to keep its two homegrown stars, financially that may not be feasible. It's hard to say at this point how the Blue Jays would handle the trade deadline with those two players should they not be in a race, but the case of starting pitcher Chris Bassitt is much more straightforward. The veteran righty has been a dependable middle of the rotation hurler for a decade, and if Toronto made him available in July there would be teams lining up to acquire his services. 

From '17-'22 Rockies right hander German Marquez was quietly one of the most reliable pitchers in the National League, which is really high praise for someone who plays their home games at Coors Field. Unfortunately for both Marquez and the Rockies, the last two seasons have not gone to plan. Injuries, including Tommy John surgery, have limited Marquez to only five total appearances since the beginning of 2023, and have thrown a huge wrinkle in both his career and the Rockies plans. The veteran is now fully healthy entering spring training, in what will be an important season for him individually ahead of free agency next fall. Colorado is light years behind the other teams in the NL West, and if Marquez is able to prove he's healthy and effective early in the season, I'd fully expect him to be pitching the second half in a different uniform. 

The most impactful transaction of the entire MLB offseason came when superstar Juan Soto agreed to terms with the Mets on the richest contract in American sports history. While the addition has undoubtedly changed the long-term future of the Mets, it also created a bit of a logjam in the present. Incumbent right fielder Starling Marte has now been pushed into a DH platoon/reserve outfielder role, and New York did not make it a secret that they would listen to trade offers for him this winter. With spring training well underway, Marte is still in Queens and at least for now looks primed to be a valuable bench piece for the Mets. But if another team suffers an injury to its outfield and calls New York's President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, the possibility for Marte to be dealt, even before the deadline, certainly exists. 

Year after year the most sought after commodity at the trade deadline is relief pitching--particularly from the left side--and someone like Taylor Rogers certainly could end up in high demand. The veteran was traded from San Francisco to Cincinnati in January, and is entering the final season of his current contract. The Reds expect to surprise some people and contend seriously here in 2025, but if they don't, Rogers will be arguably their most valuable trade chip this summer. 

Las Vegas, NV native Tommy Pham has already played for nine different Major League teams, and when he suits up for Pittsburgh on opening day it will be ten. Bouncing around that much is certainly not very common for position players, but it is a testament to the fact that Pham is always in some sort of demand. In 1,121 career games, he's slashed .258/.346/.427, with 139 home runs and 183 doubles. Even in part-time capacity, his right-handed bat always brings value. The Pirates intend to play Pham every day and maybe even hit him leadoff, but if they fall out of the race he'll almost certainly finish the season with somebody else. 

Last season Erick Fedde was one of MLB's feel-good stories. After pitching parts of six seasons for the Nationals with mostly mediocre results, Fedde left MLB to pitch in Korea in 2023, where he seemingly found a way to revitalize his career. He signed a deal with the White Sox prior to 2024, and pitched excellently in the first half before ultimately being dealt to St. Louis at the deadline. In 31 total starts split between the two teams, the right hander worked to a career best 3.30 ERA in 177.1 innings. He will be a free-agent once again at the conclusion of the '25 campaign, and if he pitches well and the Cardinals fall out of the race early, look for him to be a much discussed starting pitching option for contending clubs. 

Pirates' closer David Bednar has been no stranger to trade rumors over the last couple of seasons. The big right-hander was one of baseball's most dominant late-inning stoppers from 21-'23, making two all-star teams in that timeframe and even leading the NL in saves in 2023. That long run of prolonged success made his struggles a year ago puzzling. In 62 outings in '24, Bednar pitched to an abysmal 5.77 ERA, while blowing seven of his 30 save opportunities and posting an unsightly 1.42 WHIP. He comes into this season clearly motivated to rebound, and if he does, with free-agency looming in less than two years it would be prudent for the Pirates to once again listen to offers. 

Righty Derek Law was quietly one of the National League's best set-up men in 2024, and was one of the real bright spots in what was otherwise a dreary season in D.C. In a career high 75 appearances for the Nationals, Law pitched to a 2.60 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP, while holding the opposition to a .246 batting average and striking out 76 hitters in 90 innings. He racked up 17 holds setting up for closer Kyle Finnegan, and if he can deliver similar results in 2025 he could find himself as the topic of a lot of discussion in July. 

Switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell is seemingly always a popular name at the trade deadline, and I wouldn't expect this season to be any different. Splitting last year between Miami and Arizona, the veteran slashed .249/.319/.405 with 19 home runs, 71 RBI, and 23 doubles. He signed with the Nationals as a free agent this winter--in what will be his second stint in the nation's capital--and is slated to serve as Washington's everyday DH in 2025. While the Nats' have collected an impressive amount of young talent and certainly do project as a team on the rise, it's also abundantly clear that they are not on the level of the Mets, Phillies or Braves in the NL East quite yet. Barring something unforeseen, Washington will be sellers at the deadline, and Bell is a name that will almost assuredly be discussed. 

The Astros made a conscious effort to shed payroll and bring in an influx of outside talent this winter, a goal that is going to result in them fielding a much different team in 2025 than the one fans in Houston had grown accustomed to seeing. One of the departing players was right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly, who after four years as the Astros closer was demoted to a set-up man last season when the team acquired Josh Hader. Pressly was vocal about his displeasure with the situation, something that in all honestly probably helped facilitate his way out the door. The Cubs were happy to engage the Astros in trade negotiations and are thrilled to have the 36-year-old veteran on their side in 2025. It is important to note, however, that Pressly is entering the final season of his contract, and should the Cubs endure a difficult first half, the idea of trading their new closer would not be farfetched. 

Right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks was an American League all-star in three out of four seasons between 2019-2022, but over the last two years he's dealt with more than his fair share of adversity. The 36-year-old has pitched in only five games total since the start of 2023 recovering from both cancer treatment and Tommy John surgery. He's attempting to come back in 2025 and pick up right where he left off, and if he can, it will undoubtedly be the best story of the '25 campaign. Putting the feel good stuff aside for a moment, if Hendriks resembles anything close to the pitcher he was before his hiatus, and the Red Sox are not in contention in July, he stands out as a potential trade possibility. 

Right-hander Miles Mikolas has enjoyed a career renaissance since returning to MLB from Japan in 2018, and in his six seasons with the Cardinals has been a very effective starting pitcher. In 172 starts for St. Louis, Mikolas has worked to a 4.16 ERA while contributing more than 200 innings in three different campaigns. Nobody will argue that he's been a good soldier for the Cardinals, but at 36 years old it's also realistic to acknowledge that at this point he does not have a long-term future with the team. Mikolas is going to be a free agent at the end of 2025, and with St. Louis on record expressing a desire to get younger, it would be a surprise if he is not traded at some point during the summer.