Shifting Market Changes Top 105 Trade Candidates of 2025 MLB Trade Deadline: What Can Cubs Do?

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The expanded playoff format has altered the landscape of Major League Baseball enormously over the last few years. It shows up most, perhaps, each July, when teams flirting with .500 behave not as frustrated sellers, but as tentative buyers—and sometimes, when teams who looked like sellers even at the All-Star break pivot toward buying at the last moment. The Cubs did that as recently as 2023. This year, it's happening again.

The Royals are no longer sellers, so cross the several interesting players they might otherwise have shopped this week off the list. The Rangers are in limbo, but it seems clear that (at least) they will hold onto their top two, expensive starting pitchers. Meanwhile, the streaky Rays have made a pair of moves that makes it clear they'll both buy and sell. Who's left on the market? And what possibilities have gone by the boards for the Cubs? Let's revisit the list I first made last week, of the 105 best likely trade candidates, to see who still belongs there and who doesn't.

1. Joe Ryan, RHP, Twins: If you want to hold onto a sliver of hope, I won't stand in your way, but the Twins seem disinclined to deal Ryan, and sources say the few teams who have even been bold enough to feel them out were gobsmacked by the price tag. He's unlikely to be dealt.

2. Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Diamondbacks: Between the scare of a fastball that hit Suárez in the finger Monday night and the fact that Matt Shaw has come out of the break hitting like Suárez with a better glove, it seems very unlikely that the Cubs will pull the trigger on this kind of move now. Opinions on whether he'll be dealt at all are mixed, but I would guess he will be. It's just not likely to be to Chicago.

3. Dylan Cease, RHP, Padres: The rumors of this flared and then went quiet, but behind the scenes, many still believe San Diego will do something bold—and yes, that could include trading Cease. The Cubs' position in a market for him looks favorable, but whether it makes sense for them is likely to depend on what else Jed Hoyer is able to do.

4. Emmanuel Clase, RHP, Guardians: There's a decent chance Clase never pitches in the majors again. He's on administrative leave at least until the end of August, as the league investigates his ties to suspicious betting activity on Guardians games. Obviously, count him out.

5. Jhoan Duran, RHP, Twins: With Clase off the market, Duran has become even more popular. The Cubs remain very interested, but the price remains very high. Sources with knowledge of the team's conversations are skeptical that Hoyer will make an exception to his usual value calculations just to shore up the bullpen; the team would strongly prefer to get a starter.

6. Edward Cabrera, RHP, Marlins: If this list were predicated on balancing the likelihood of the Cubs landing a player with the impact they would have, Cabrera would be No. 1. He's not an ace, but he's trending in that direction, and the Cubs have told multiple other teams that their interest in those teams' available arms will have to wait until they can ascertain whether or not Cabrera will be available at a price they find palatable. They consider that a real possibility right now. Miami had a contingency starter on hand in St. Louis Monday, in case a deal got done before Cabrera took the mound, so they think it's at least plausible, too.

7. Jacob deGrom, RHP, Rangers

8. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP, Rangers: The Rangers might still lightly sell. They're in the thick of the American League Wild Card race, but not in a great position within it. At this point, though, they're obviously not interested in trading deGrom or Eovaldi.

9. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Nationals: Still an option, but a far-fetched one. The Nationals have set a higher asking price for Gore than Miami's for Cabrera, despite Cabrera being under control one year longer—and Washington wants either Shaw or Cade Horton, rather than being content with top prospects in the minors. Unless that changes, no deal will materialize.

10. Jarren Duran, OF, Red Sox

11. Seth Lugo, RHP, Royals: Lugo was on the market only briefly, at the beginning of this month. Once the Royals felt out what was realistic (and on what timeline suitors, including the Cubs, were interested in doing a deal), they circled back to Lugo, who agreed to a two-year contract extension instead.

12. David Bednar, RHP, Pirates: Very much still in play. The Cubs would rather land Duran, all things equal, but Pittsburgh's asking price is lower than Minnesota's, sources say. Thus, there's a chance Hoyer pivots. Here, too, much depends on the team's pursuit of a starter.

13. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/OF, Orioles

14. Merrill Kelly, RHP, Diamondbacks: The Cubs would really prefer a controllable starter. If they can't find one at a semi-reasonable price, though, Kelly tops their wish list among impending free agents.

15. Kris Bubic, LHP, Royals: A rotator cuff strain is likely to end Bubic's season. Consider it a bullet dodged; the Cubs were interested in him over the All-Star break. 

16. Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins: Alcántara seems committed to the idea of being traded, and sources familiar with the Marlins' plans say they do feel some payroll pressure to move him. I don't think the offers they're actually going to hear will clear Peter Bendix's bar, though. I'm not crossing this one off, but consider it a long shot.

17. Jesús Sánchez, OF, Marlins

18. Cade Smith, RHP, Guardians: Suddenly, this former closer of the future is very much the closer of Cleveland's present. They might decide to pivot into a rebuild, given the atrocious vibes of having two players suspended (if not banned) amid gambling questions, but it seems unlikely that they trade Smith this summer.

19. Robert Suarez, RHP, Padres: Again, the Padres have to get creative, and everyone within the industry expects them to do so. Trading Suarez would be a natural way to do so, and he's a good fit for the Cubs' predilections when it comes to high-end relievers. Given his contract structure, though, the price would have to be quite low to get Hoyer interested.

20. Ryan Helsley, RHP, Cardinals

21. Griffin Jax, RHP, Twins: My sense is that Duran is more in demand, and that the Twins are more likely to trade him. Jax can stay on the radar, and would be a more intriguing long-term play, because he has a starter's arsenal and some glorious peripheral metrics. Just don't count on him.

22. Willi Castro, UTIL, Twins: While Castro could certainly help this team in a number of ways, there are lots of other suitors in the mix for him. Other teams have clearer roles waiting for him, and sources familiar with the Twins' thinking believe the Cubs will be outbid.

23. Drew Rasmussen, RHP, Rays: Tampa's recent stumble, their road-heavy late schedule, and their minor-league home make it easy to understand why they traded Danny Jansen to the Brewers Monday. They might continue a buy-and-sell approach by being willing to move Rasmussen, and the Cubs are one team who would be very interested if they do.

24. Taylor Ward, OF, Angels: Like Willi Castro, only more so. Ward is likely to be dealt, one source said. I very much doubt that it will be to the Cubs.

25. Zac Gallen, RHP, Diamondbacks: It's been a tough year—in fact, a tough year and a half—for Gallen. He's the rental Arizona is most likely to retain, if their asking price isn't met, and the Cubs are unlikely to be the team to meet that price.

26. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Rays: Like Rasmussen, only more so. The Rays will be willing to move Fairbanks, no matter what they contend to the contrary. The question is whether the Cubs are willing to give up quite a bit for a pitcher who's not quite at the level of dominance he reached a few years ago.

27. Harrison Bader, OF, Twins: The fit is so, so good. The Cubs need someone who can platoon with Pete Crow-Armstrong. They need someone who can spell both Ian Happ and Kyle Tucker. But Bader is almost certainly bound for some team who has more playing time open for him.

28. Carlos Santana, 1B/DH, Guardians

29. Sonny Gray, RHP, Cardinals

30. Ryan Jeffers, C, Twins

31. Yandy Díaz, 1B, Rays

32. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pirates: Note how much farther down this list (the criterion for which, as a reminder, is how much a player can contribute to the effort of winning in 2025) Keller is than Cabrera or Gore. This is why the Cubs are interested in him, but unwilling to break the bank—and why their previous efforts to acquire him fell apart earlier this summer.

33. Ryan McMahon, 3B, Rockies: McMahon is a Yankee now.

34. Charlie Morton, RHP, Orioles: Morton will certainly be dealt, and probably not for a huge haul. The Cubs have at least felt out Baltimore about a package deal involving both Morton and Seranthony Dominguez. Such things are never especially likely, but it's possible, and could be a great fit.

35. Trevor Larnach, OF, Twins

36. Cedric Mullins, OF, Orioles

37. Luis Severino, RHP, Athletics: Severino really is a solid potential pickup, with the ability of the Athletics to demand much of anything for him limited by both the size of the contract they gave him this winter and his obvious unhappiness as part of that team. The question is how much money Hoyer could get the A's to absorb, without sending the prospect price too high for the team's tastes.

38. Aaron Bummer, LHP, Team from Suburban Atlanta: I've heard that Alex Anthopoulos would move Bummer this week, but he's under contract for 2026, so it would be a steeper price than some of the other available lefties have. His surface-level numbers are a bit underwhelming this year, but Bummer is still a terrific ground-ball guy and he limits walks well. He'd thrive in front of the Chicago infield.

39. Ramón Laureano, OF, Orioles: [I'm leaving this note, which appeared in the first version of this list last week, intact. Nothing important has changed.] Righty bats who can back up Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki in case of injuries or (in Happ's case) shaky showings are a little-discussed profile the team is looking at. Like Bader, though, Laureano likely ends up somewhere else.

40. Kyle Freeland, LHP, Rockies: The Rockies are getting inquiries on Freeland, including from the Cubs—who love themselves a lefty starter. The profile is intriguing, though only if they can effectively land him as a buy-low opportunity.

41. Zack Littell, RHP, Rays: The odds of Littell being dealt are steadily rising, and he'd certainly be an upgrade over the existing fluidity at the back end of the starting rotation. That said, the team is only likely to trade for one starting pitcher, and Littell is a bit below the bar you'd like that one acquisition to clear.

42. Adrian Houser, RHP, White Sox: Like Littell, only more so. Houser would be such a low-wattage addition that he doesn't quite move the needle the way fans might rightfully hope that the team's big move will. If Hoyer does land someone like Duran to anchor the bullpen, perhaps settling for a starter in the Houser range would be more palatable.

43. Danny Coulombe, LHP, Twins: Coulombe is a really, really good lefty reliever, with plenty of ways to get both lefty and righty batters out. He's only owed about $1 million for the balance of this year. The Cubs do want to shore up their left-handed relief, with Drew Pomeranz's magic quickly wearing off, so this is a possibility, but the Twins are in position to ask for a solid return.

44. John Schreiber, RHP, Royals: The Royals' hot streak out of the break and the extension they were able to strike with Lugo has largely taken them out of the seller column. That's a shame, because Schreiber really would give the team needed flexibility as an optionable reliever at a higher level of reliability than most guys on whom you'd actually spend an option.

45. Anthony Bender, RHP, Marlins: One of the hotter names on the rental setup arm market, Bender could stabilize the bridge from the team's starters to Daniel Palencia at the back end of the game. 

46. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Nationals

47. Carlos Estévez, RHP, Royals: Another Royal off the list.

48. Dennis Santana, RHP, Pirates: [As with Laureano, I'm leaving this comment as-is. Santana is a good target for the Cubs, although not an overwhelmingly likely one.] Though less famous and less dominant than Bednar, Santana could be a tremendous pickup from Pittsburgh. He has a plus slider, and has figured out how to really fill up the zone over the last year and a half. He's under team control through 2026.

49. Brock Burke, LHP, Angels

50. Adolis García, OF, Rangers

51. Michael Soroka, RHP, Nationals: He's farther down this list than Houser or Littell, but Soroka might be higher on the Cubs' version of the same document. They like his stuff and the potential fit for him in their rotation. If they do make a splash in some other demographic of the roster, and if the Nationals are willing to eat a bit of the $3 million or so he's owed the rest of the way, this one could come together quickly.

52. Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox

53. Phil Maton, RHP, Cardinals

54. Andrew Kittredge, RHP, Orioles: Chicago would rather have Dominguez, but Kittredge is likely to come cheaper, which might make the difference—especially if Hoyer lands the controllable, higher-end starter he craves.

55. Yoán Moncada, 3B, Angels

56. Amed Rosario, IF, Nationals: He, too, is a Yankee now.

57. JoJo Romero, LHP, Cardinals

58. Gregory Soto, LHP, Orioles: Another Soto lost to the Mets.

59. Jose Quintana, LHP, Brewers: No, the Brewers and the Cubs aren't getting together on a deal that would help the Cubs fix the back end of their rotation. And no, the Cubs and Quintana reuniting probably wouldn't be welcome news to most fans, anyway.

60. Nestor Cortes, LHP, Brewers

61. Taj Bradley, RHP, Rays: The Cubs still like Bradley. The Rays still seem not to. Tampa's vaunted pitching philosophy is not perfect, and the Cubs do feel they could unlock Bradley a bit if they can get ahold of him. The price tag is the question mark.

62. Pierce Johnson, RHP, That Team Near Atlanta

63. Jeffrey Springs, LHP, Athletics

64. Dane Myers, OF, Marlins

65. Randal Grichuk, OF, Diamondbacks: The Royals pounced on Grichuk, as part of their pivot into a cautious buying posture.

66. Brock Stewart, RHP, Twins: Don't overlook this possibility. Stewart is really good. He's akin to Santana, of the Pirates: blooming late, and under team control through next season.

67. Kevin Ginkel, RHP, Diamondbacks: [Another held-over comment:] If Arizona is holding out fiercely for a player like Owen Caissie in talks for either Suárez or Kelly, don't be shocked if the Cubs finagle Ginkel as a second piece coming their way. Don't be fooled by his hideous ERA this year, either. Ginkel still has a nasty slider and the skills to be a late-inning difference-maker.

68. Sam Haggerty, OF, Rangers

69. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP, Orioles: Dominguez's sheer stuff is filthy. His bugaboo, when it rears up, is a lack of control, and that's plagued him this year. Nonetheless, the Cubs like him, and if he can just hit the zone occasionally, he becomes a lethal weapon in high-leverage spots.

70. JP Sears, LHP, Athletics

71. Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals: [Nothing new here, either. All of the following still stands.] Why the Cubs didn't just sign Finnegan for around $7 million this winter, I'm really not sure. They liked him last July; they liked him this winter; they have circled back to Washington about him this July. He can be maddening to watch, with a hard but not bat-missing fastball and a splitter that makes many save opportunities long sweats, but he'd be a solid addition.

72. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS, Pirates

73. Jake Cronenworth, IF, Padres

74. Wandy Peralta, LHP, Padres

75. Tommy Pham, OF, Pirates

76. Zach Eflin, RHP, Orioles

77. Raisel Iglesias, RHP, Rich Men South of Richmond: Chicago is after Iglesias, but they've gone as far as they're willing to, and Atlanta will not budge. I suspect that that's not going to change, and thus, that no deal will come to fruition. He's not an arm for whom Hoyer is willing to overextend himself.

78. Jorge Soler, DH/RF, Angels: An injury took Soler off the market.

79. Josh Bell, 1B, Nationals

80. Royce Lewis, 3B, Twins

81. Michael A. Taylor, OF, White Sox: [Nothing new] Another great clubhouse guy who'd also be a great defensive substitution or all-purpose backup to Pete Crow-Armstrong and company.

82. Caleb Ferguson, LHP, Pirates

83. Mike Tauchman, OF, White Sox

84. Chris Paddack, RHP, Twins: Minnesota dealt Paddack to Detroit Monday.

85. Tyler Kinley, RHP, Rockies: The Cubs have been in touch with the Rockies about both Kinley and fellow (more controllable) reliever Jake Bird. Kinley is a slider monster at this stage of his career, and would just be one more arm in the mix, but he's good enough to stick in the thin Chicago pen.

86. Kenley Jansen, RHP, Angels

87. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pirates

88. Miguel Andújar, 3B/DH, Athletics: [Same as it was five days ago] His glove and legs are too leaden to make acquiring him to play in lieu of Matt Shaw viable. If the team wants just a bit more offensive depth from the right side, though, he could replace Vidal Bruján without anyone really noticing.

89. Ramón Urías, 3B, Orioles

90. Luis Rengifo, IF, Angels

91. Austin Slater, OF, White Sox

92. Enyel De Los Santos, RHP, The Team By the Highway: [Still true] Going back two years, De Los Santos has popped up on the Cubs' radar multiple times. He's a very low-grade target, but if he shakes loose just when they have an opening, they might well decide to scoop him up this time.

93. Luis Urías, 2B, Athletics

94. Christian Vázquez, C, Twins

95. Ty France, 1B, Twins

96. Andrew Chafin, LHP, Nationals

97. Aaron Civale, RHP, White Sox

98. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Cardinals

99. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Pirates

100. Jakob Junis, RHP, Guardians

101. Kyle Hendricks, RHP, Angels

102. Sean Newcomb, LHP, Athletics

103. Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP, Orioles

104. Luis García, RHP, Nationals

105. Tyler Anderson, LHP, Angels

I've crossed 16 names off this list since Thursday, and plenty of them remain extreme longshots. Still, it should be clear that the Cubs have a large number of possible ways left to improve their squad before Thursday evening. Some of the odds have shifted in each direction, and they'll do so again in the next several hours. For now, though, few things the team was ever very interested in doing have ceased to be possible.

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