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A number of big-name players will be moved ahead of MLB's July 31 trade deadline. Selling teams will look to move their veterans for prospects who can contribute in the future, whereas trade deadline buyers will add major league talent that can help in a World Series push this season. Fans have already heard rumors, both big and small, about which players are trade candidates this season.
Not every player in trade rumors will be dealt, though. For example. Mike Trout was the best player ranked among trade deadline candidates, but the likelihood that the Los Angeles Angels would actually move him is low. There are a few players who will inevitably and almost assuredly be moved, though. So, check out the list to see which players are most likely to be traded before the 2025 MLB trade deadline.
5. Sandy Alcantara, SP, Miami Marlins
With 12 wins, the Colorado Rockies are the worst team in baseball, but the Miami Marlins haven't been much better. In fact, the Rockies just swept the Marlins. Miami traded almost everybody of note last season. Luis Arraez was traded months before the 2024 MLB trade deadline, and then Jazz Chisholm Jr., Tanner Scott, Josh Bell, Trevor Rogers, Bryan De La Cruz, and others were moved just before the deadline buzzer went off.
The surplus of moves resulted in the Marlins boosting their farm system and adding some impressive young talent. Most notably, Kyle Stowers was added in the Rogers trade, and he has been Miami's best player this season. The one star who wasn't traded last year was Sandy Alcantara. The former Cy Young winner missed last season because of Tommy John surgery, but he is back on the mound this year.
Alcantara's return has been disastrous. He is 2-7 with a 7.89 ERA. The expectation is Alcantara will eventually return to form, though. He still throws his fastball with impressive velocity, and he can re-establish himself as an ace if he starts locating his pitches better. Alcantara's trade value is low right now, so the Marlins will likely hold off on trading him for a while. It seems inevitable that he will be moved once he shows some signs of life, though.
4. Luis Robert Jr., OF, Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox underwent a massive rebuild in 2016-18. After that didn't work, they were forced to blow things up again over the last couple of seasons. They've traded everybody of note except for Luis Robert Jr., but the center fielder will surely be moved this year.
Robert is another former superstar who has struggled this season. Robert is only hitting .177 this season. He has always struggled with plate discipline, but Robert has tons of potential and could do well by switching teams. After all, his White Sox have been tanking for a couple of years now, and it has been known for some time that they would eventually trade him. The uncertainty of his future surely hasn't helped his approach this year.
Robert is a freak athlete who has produced in the past. He hit .338 in 2021 and smashed 38 home runs during a 2023 All-Star season. Those big numbers seem fluky at this point, but interested teams can still expect Robert to play much better going forward than he has so far this season. At worst, Robert is one of the best base stealers (21) in baseball. His hefty contract and lack of 2025 production prevent him from ranking as a more likely trade candidate than the next three players on this list, but make no mistake: when the White Sox get offered a trade worth considering for Robert, they will certainly accept it.
3. Ryan McMahon, 3B, Colorado Rockies
Despite their recent sweep of the Marlins, the Rockies are still on pace to finish as the worst team in the modern era. The team has no option but to sell ahead of the trade deadline. Although they don't have much intriguing talent for potential buyers, Ryan McMahon is a player who could draw interest.
The third baseman is struggling this year, but he hit 20-plus home runs in five of the previous six seasons. He was an All-Star just last year, and like the previous two players on this list, a change of scenery could do him good.
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The reason McMahon doesn't rank higher on this list is because the Rockies often hold onto their players – excluding when they traded prime Nolan Arenado for a measly return. The Rockies likely learned their lesson by not trading McMahon at last year's trade deadline, so he seems destined to be moved this go around.
2. Jake Bird, RP, Colorado Rockies
McMahon isn't the most likely player to be traded on the Rockies this season. The third baseman is only hitting .213, but Jake Bird has been one of the best relievers in baseball. Although he was mediocre in the three seasons leading into this year, Bird is hot and has a 1.49 ERA in 2025.
That is despite pitching half of the time at Coors Field and 100% of the time on a bad team that is usually down when Bird enters the game in relief. Bird's numbers don't mean much on a bad team, but he has built a resume that proves that he can be a high-leverage pitcher on a contender, and teams with championship aspirations always need bullpen arms.
Bird is on a bad team that will sell, but one that doesn't have many other intriguing assets to trade away. That makes him one of the most likely players who will be dealt ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline.
1. Andrew Heaney, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Another one of MLB's bottom dwellers this season has been the Pittsburgh Pirates. A number of the Pirates' best players are under team control for a while longer, though. Paul Skenes is one of the best players in baseball, and Oneil Cruz and Mitch Keller could contribute to the team for years to come.
Rather than moving players under team control, the Pirates are more likely to trade veterans on expiring contracts. That makes Andrew Heaney a prime trade candidate. The 34-year-old pitcher doesn't fit Pittsburgh's timeline, and he will likely find a new home in free agency after this season. He has pitched well so far, though, so the Pirates should trade him sooner rather than later.
Heaney isn't an ace, but most contending teams don't need a number-one pitching option. He has playoff experience as a middle-of-the-rotation option, though, and he will likely have plenty of trade suitors ahead of the deadline.
