Top MLB Teams' Most Desperate Trade Deadline Needs

With just about half of this year's games accounted for and the July 30 trade deadline looming, the 2024 MLB season has reached a certain stage.

That is, the one where contenders can no longer afford to be patient with their problems.

In an effort to assist them and to otherwise do a little public service, the idea here is to assess the most desperate need for each of MLB's top 10 contenders (i.e., the ones with the best records) and suggest one guy they should get to be the solution.

If this sounds simplistic, don't worry. Other needs and other potential solutions will also be checked and name-dropped along the way.

We'll start with some honorable mentions and then check off the top 10 teams one at a time.

Note: All farm system ranks are courtesy of B/R's Joel Reuter.

Kansas City Royals

Record: 42-37, 3rd in AL Central

Biggest Need: Relief Pitcher

The Royals also need bats, particularly in an outfield that has produced a .615 OPS. But general manager J.J. Picollo has been transparent about his desire to upgrade his bullpen. It mainly needs a power arm who could lift its MLB-low strikeout rate.

St. Louis Cardinals

Record: 39-37, 2nd in NL Central

Biggest Need: Starting Pitching

The league-low minus-0.8 rWAR the Cardinals have gotten from center field sticks out, yet not as much as the lack of support for Sonny Gray and Kyle Gibson in the rotation. Other starters they've used have a 4.92 ERA.

San Diego Padres

Record: 41-41, 2nd in NL West

Biggest Need: Starting Pitching

The Padres could also use relief pitching, but early indications are that they'll be all-in on upgrading their underachieving rotation. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, they've already checked in on Garrett Crochet, Jesús Luzardo and Jack Flaherty.

Record: 42-36, 3rd in AL East

Position WAR: 0.9

Current Starters: David Hamilton (SS), Enmanuel Valdez (2B)

Per a June 11 report from Bowden, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow would like to find a "short-term solution" to play shortstop.

This would indicate he isn't a firm believer in Hamilton despite his .769 OPS and 21 stolen bases in 22 tries. And that wouldn't be unfair. He isn't playable against left-handers and has generally been just OK outside of a string of multi-hit games earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the minus-0.8 rWAR and the .503 OPS that Boston is getting from second base are the worst such marks in the league. Valdez has been hot lately, but he only has a .671 OPS for the year and is a lousy defender to boot.

It's too much to ask that the Red Sox go all-in on a star, but a right-handed hitter with a reliable glove would be a good get for them.

They Should Go Get: Kevin Newman, Arizona Diamondbacks

The D-backs have more middle infielders than they have room for, and what Newman offers is just what Boston needs. He has a .798 OPS against lefties, and he's in the black for Outs Above Average at both shortstop and second base.

Record: 43-35, 2nd in AL Central

Position WAR: 2.5

Current Starters: Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Simeon Woods Richardson, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack

Nobody should be comfortable with the makeup of Minnesota's lineup right now, but here's a more pressing question: How many guys in their starting rotation can be trusted to start a playoff game?

Ryan is having a good year, with 15 starts and a 3.13 ERA. Yet López's ERA is up to 5.11 from 3.66 in 2023, and neither Ober (4.50 ERA) nor Paddack (5.29 ERA) has been anything resembling reliable.

More generally, this rotation needs someone who can keep the ball in the yard. Twins starters have combined to give up 69 home runs, four more than any other teams' starters have surrendered.

They Should Go Get: Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox

Hey, why not? Erick Fedde would be a more reasonable get from the Pale Hose, but the Twins are one of few teams with the prospect depth to swing a deal for Crochet. He's also making just $800,000 this year, which is relevant to the Twins' payroll reality.

Record: 45-35, 1st in AL West

Position WAR: 0.6

Current Starters: Ty France (1B), Mitch Haniger (DH)

The Mariners may be 10 games over .500 and on top of the AL West by 6.0 games over the Houston Astros, but their offense just isn't World Series material.

At an average of 3.92 runs per game, they're scoring more frequently than only four other teams. Hence why, as Will Sammon, Patrick Mooney and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported, the Mariners "plan to be aggressive with their push for some kind of offensive addition" before the deadline.

Though left field, right field and second base need upgrades on paper, Seattle can aim for more upside by bringing in a slugger to work at first base and/or designated hitter. France lacks power worthy of the former, and Haniger's .608 OPS doesn't cut it anywhere.

Per the previously noted report, money isn't expected to be an issue in the Mariners' search. Which is good, because hitters like the ones they need generally don't come cheap.

They Should Go Get: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays

Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez are also options, but Guerrero is more of a well-rounded hitter who could help lower Seattle's league-high strikeout rate. And while his $19.9 million salary is a bit steep, his extra year of club control is something neither Alonso nor Martinez has.

Record: 43-32, 2nd in NL East

Position WAR: 1.3

Current Starter: Forrest Wall (LF), Jarred Kelenic (CF), Adam Duvall (RF)

In 2023, Atlanta's outfielders posted an .860 OPS with 91 home runs and 105 stolen bases. So far in 2024, they're stuck with a .663 OPS, 23 homers and 26 stolen bases.

Things were indeed off-track for Atlanta's outfielders even before Ronald Acuña Jr. tore his ACL and Michael Harris II injured his hamstring. But such things obviously haven't helped, as the former is out for the year and the latter is out at least a month.

Still, it's probably best not to expect Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos to aim for Luis Robert Jr. or any other pie-in-the-sky target.

That wasn't the strategy in the wake of Acuña's first ACL tear in 2021, when Anthopoulos bought low on Duvall, Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario. All four moves ultimately helped deliver a World Series title, so why not go back to the well?

They Should Go Get: Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays

He may be a Rookie of the Year winner and a playoff legend, but Arozarena is also a guy with just a .190 average and a .654 OPS to show for this season. He nonetheless still has solid peripherals, and it's reasonable to think he would be energized by a move to a contender.

Record: 45-33, 1st in NL Central

Position WAR: 2.4

Current Starters: Freddy Peralta, Bryse Wilson, Colin Rea, Carlos Rodriguez, Tobias Myers

No matter which way you slice it, it's in spite of their starting pitching that the Brewers are in first place.

Their rotation's 4.20 ERA isn't great, but worse is how few innings it's eaten. We're talking a total of 370.1, putting it one out short of the San Francisco Giants for the lowest in MLB.

Somebody who could offer some length would therefore be ideal, but the Brewers also feel the Twins' pain regarding the long ball. Their rotation has served up 1.31 home runs per nine innings, the fifth-highest mark in the league.

With MLB's No. 8 farm system and a lower payroll than they had in 2023, the Brewers seem positioned to get one of the better options on the market. And given how the immediate future of their rotation is as bleak as its present, a non-rental would be ideal.

They Should Go Get: Erick Fedde, Chicago White Sox

Crochet could also be an option for the Brewers, but it would be unlike them to blow up their farm to get one guy. Fedde is arguably a safer option anyway, as he's more accustomed to starting and is cost-controlled by way of a $15 million deal that lasts through next year.

Record: 48-31, 1st in NL West

Position WAR: 2.6

Current Starters: Teoscar Hernández (LF), Andy Pages (CF), Jason Heyward (RF)

Let's be real here. There are any number of things the Dodgers might do ahead of the deadline, including trading for either starters or relievers or a middle infielder.

Just in general, though, their biggest need is for more oomph in the back half of their lineup. And the outfield offers at least two ideal spots for said oomph.

Left field and center field have combined for only 0.5 rWAR and rank 25th and 26th in MLB in OPS, respectively. When it comes down to it, only Hernández (.813 OPS, 18 HR) has been an impact producer at the plate.

As Hernández and Pages both swing from the right side, a left-handed hitter would do more to balance out the equation. And if this hitter also offered the ability to play other positions, even better.

They Should Go Get: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Miami Marlins

Chisholm isn't playing like the All-Star he was in 2022, but a .777 OPS, 10 homers and 13 steals are nothing to be ashamed of. Plus, he was a middle infielder before he was a center fielder. The Dodgers could gain much if they got him and dusted off those old skills.

Record: 49-28, 2nd in AL East

Position WAR: 2.1

Current Back-End Trio: Craig Kimbrel (CL), Yennier Cano (SU), Bryan Baker (SU)

Losing Kyle Bradish and John Means for the year? That hurts...yet apparently not bad enough to put the Orioles in panic mode with their rotation.

This is according to Sammon, Mooney and Rosenthal, who reported that Baltimore's "timeline for potentially acting in the starting pitcher market hasn't changed" even after Bradish and Means had Tommy John surgery. It makes some sense, as the rotation has a 3.31 ERA even though it got only 12 starts from those two.

The bullpen, on the other hand, is clearly more vulnerable than its 3.48 ERA indicates. It's in the middle of the pack in strikeout rate and walk rate, and it also has 14 blown saves against 24 successful ones.

Kimbrel in particular is barely trustworthy now, let alone in October. His ERA in the playoffs is 4.50 ERA, and it's fair to be surprised it's even that low given his history.

They Should Go Get: Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics

On a pitch-to-pitch basis, the hard-throwing Miller is the most dominant hurler in MLB right now. And while his club control through 2029 gives the A's leeway to demand a fortune for him, the Orioles could afford it. They have the best farm system in the league.

Record: 49-26, 1st in AL Central

Position WAR: 1.1

Current Starters: Logan Allen, Carlos Carrasco, Ben Lively, Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee

Bibee, at least, has been coming around. Back-to-back games with double-digit strikeouts have helped him lower his ERA for his last seven starts to 2.41.

Major issues remain in Cleveland's rotation, though. It's been without an ace since Shane Bieber needed Tommy John surgery after his second start of 2024, and even its 4.30 ERA overstates its effectiveness.

Guardians starters rank last in the American League with 385.1 innings. They're also serving up 1.49 home runs per game, the highest such mark for either league.

Cleveland's farm system is a middle-of-the-road affair, and it wouldn't be like the organization to surrender a king's ransom of prospects for one player anyway. As such, the trick will be to aim high while staying within their limitations.

They Should Go Get: Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers

Flaherty is nominally one of the best starters who could be had this summer, but he's also a pending free agent with a $14 million salary. That will limit his value. If it's so much so that the Guardians can get him, they'd stand to gain a pitcher with a 2.92 ERA and an 8.3 K/BB ratio.

Record: 52-28, 1st in AL East

Position WAR: 3.4

Current Starters: Ben Rice (1B), Gleyber Torres (2B), DJ LeMahieu (3B), Anthony Volpe (SS)

This has nothing to do with Volpe, who should be holding his head high about what he's done for the Yankees' infield. Indeed, 3.0 of that 3.4 rWAR is his.

It's the other three positions that are the problem, particularly offensively. Observe:

• First Base: .644 (24th in MLB)
• Second Base: .618 (26th)
• Third Base: .605 (27th)

The Yankees didn't hurt their infield by bringing in J.D. Davis, but he's not much more than a warm body at this point. They also shouldn't be too hopeful about Anthony Rizzo's eventual return from a broken arm. He only had a .630 OPS before he got hurt.

It's "World Series or bust" every year in the Bronx, but especially so in 2024. With Juan Soto due for free agency this winter, the Yankees have an opportunity that must not be wasted.

They Should Go Get: Pete Alonso, New York Mets

Is this a crazy idea? It feels like a crazy idea. But it's also a good one, as putting Alonso with Soto, Aaron Judge and (when healthy) Giancarlo Stanton would give the Yankees a truly fearsome offensive foursome that they could hope to ride deep into October.

Record: 51-26, 1st in NL East

Position WAR: 0.6

Current Starter: Brandon Marsh

Johan Rojas got an ample shot to prove himself as an everyday center fielder, but all he did was post a .566 OPS and 0.1 rWAR in 58 games.

The Phillies ran out of patience with the 23-year-old last week, demoting him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday. Using Marsh as the de facto starter in center field is hardly a bad strategy for the short term, but it means journeyman David Dahl has to play left field in his stead.

The Phillies are obviously about as win-now as win-now teams get, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has also been taking good care of the farm system. It's among the 10 best in MLB.

Put these things together, and the potential for a blockbuster deal would seem to be there.

They Should Go Get: Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox

Between his injury history and his tendency to whiff, there would be risk in the Phillies trading for Robert. But also upside, as he's an All-Star, Gold Glover and a Silver Slugger who's still only 26 years old. He's also signed through 2025 with club options for 2026 and 2027.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.