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Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

One trade each National League team must make

By Lauren Amour, Kevin Henry, David Hill | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 12:31 PM ET

MLB's trade deadline is rapidly nearing, with deals needing to be completed no later than 6 PM EST on Thursday, July 31. With the deadline in mind, Yardbarker's MLB writers looked at identifying one trade each NL club must make in the coming days.

NL East

Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves (44-60) | Trade DH Marcell Ozuna | It's been a down year for the Braves, which puts them in the rare position of being sellers at the deadline. Most likely to be on the move is Ozuna, as the Padres are rumored as the top suitors for the 34-year-old DH, who has 13 homers and 42 RBI this season.

Miami Marlins (50-54) | Trade RHP Sandy Alcantara | The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner has long been rumored as a trade target. Now, the time has come for the Marlins to make a deal come to fruition, with the Cubs, Mets, Dodgers and Red Sox as interested clubs.

New York Mets (62-44) | Acquire a reliever and starter | After a surprisingly successful first half for their rotation and bullpen, the Mets’ pitching is finally getting exposed. They've already acquired lefty Gregory Soto from the Orioles, but more is needed if New York wants to make a deeper playoff run than last season.

Philadelphia Phillies (60-45) | Trade for Eugenio Suarez | Although bullpen help is likely atop the Phillies’ list of needs, acquiring a bat like Suarez’s would put them over the top. Philadelphia’s lineup desperately needs more power to complement Kyle Schwarber, and adding Suarez, who he’s tied with for the fourth-most homers in the league this year at 36, would be massive.

Washington Nationals (43-62) | Field calls on MacKenzie Gore | Already completing a trade with the Yankees for 3B Amed Rosario, the Nationals’ only other tradeable asset may be Gore. The 26-year-old southpaw is tied for seventh in MLB with 144 strikeouts this season, alongside a 3.52 ERA. -- Lauren Amour

NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs (62-43) | Add another starting pitcher | While much of the focus has involved the Cubs finding a closer, the starting rotation is far more of a question mark. Shota Imanaga and the resurgent Matthew Boyd are a solid duo atop a postseason rotation, but the rest of the starters are questionable at best.

Cincinnati Reds (56-50) | Trade for Eugenio Suarez | Third base has been a black hole for the Reds, having posted a combined .228/.280/.338 batting line as Jeimer Candelario and Santiago Espinal received the bulk of the playing time at the hot corner. Adding an impact bat such as Suarez would make a drastic difference for a team just one game out of a playoff spot.

Milwaukee Brewers (62-43) | Upgrade at shortstop | The Brewers are not going to make any drastic moves, but they can still find an upgrade at shortstop. Isaiah Kiner-Falefa makes plenty of contact, can steal a base and is capable of playing multiple positions, and he would not have a high prospect cost.

Pittsburgh Pirates (44-62) | Don’t rip the entire roster apart | The temptation to tear out anyone making a decent salary is always going to be there for as long as Bob Nutting owns the Pirates. However, their pitching staff will give them a chance in 2026, as long as starter Mitch Keller and closer David Bednar remain on the roster.

St. Louis Cardinals (54-53) | Trade Nolan Arenado | The Nolan Arenado Trade Saga Part Two has been a continual storyline since the offseason. With several contenders needing help at third base, the Cardinals should be able to receive a decent haul for the future Hall of Famer, provided he waives his no-trade clause. -- David Hill

NL West

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jake Bird. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Arizona Diamondbacks (51-55) | Find a buyer for Eugenio Suarez | The 34-year-old Suarez is a free agent at the end of the season and the market is never going to be higher for his services than it is right now. While the Diamondbacks want to get the most for him in a trade, they also can’t afford to drive the price too high and miss out on a window to stack the farm system.

Colorado Rockies (27-78) | Trade some relievers | Currently on the injured list, starting pitcher German Marquez won’t likely draw much trade interest now, meaning the Rockies have to deal from their bullpen to keep making a splash. Jimmy Herget should be a focus, but the Rockies also have to listen on young controllable relievers like Seth Halvorsen and Victor Vodnik.

Los Angeles Dodgers (61-45) | Upgrade the bullpen | With Tanner Scott’s timeline for return from injury still up in the air, adding more pitching depth on the back end makes sense for the defending champions. From Ryan Helsley (St. Louis Cardinals) to Emmanuel Clase (Cleveland Guardians) to Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax (Minnesota Twins), there are options available if the Dodgers want to level up their relief corps.

San Diego Padres (57-49) | Find the answer in left field | San Diego has a glaring need, and A.J. Preller has a history of being able to make magic happen at the trade deadline. If the Padres can find the right person to make their outfield whole and lineup deeper, they could be very dangerous in October.

San Francisco Giants (54-52) | Be aggressive to save the season | San Francisco started hot but has cooled lately, going just 2-8 over its last 10 games. President of baseball operations Buster Posey has made bold moves already (including the Rafael Devers trade) and will need to do more if the Giants have any chance of staying within reach of a wild-card spot. -- Kevin Henry

David Hill

Based in the mountains of Vermont, Dave has over a decade of experience writing about all things baseball. Just don't ask his thoughts on the universal DH.

Kevin Henry

A member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), Kevin Henry has been covering MLB and MiLB for nearly two decades. Those assignments have included All-Star Games and the MLB postseason, including the World Series. Based in the Denver area, Kevin calls Coors Field his home base, but travels throughout North America during the season to discover the best stories possible

Lauren Amour

Lauren Amour is a writer and editor based in the Greater Philadelphia area. She works as an editor and writer at Yardbarker, covering MLB and the Philadelphia Phillies.

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