Ranking Trade Candidates If The Padres Or Blue Jays Sell At The Trade Deadline

We've collected experts on the San Diego Padres and the Toronto Blue Jays to rank their respective teams' trade candidates and that player's likelihood of being traded before the MLB trade deadline on August 3.

If The San Diego Padres Sell At The Trade Deadline

Randy Holt frames San Diego as a team spiraling, having fallen to third place in the National League West, including 15-3, 23-3, and 12-7 blowouts. With the division gone and the Phillies and Cubs holding wild card spots, the Padres sit at the back of the pack, chasing the final playoff berth. A.J. Preller may not have it in him to sell, but a thin farm system, payroll strain, new ownership, and labor uncertainty could force his hand. Some names are excluded up front: Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado (contracts/building blocks), plus Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta. In the "Definitely Traded" tier, reliever Adrian Morejon leads as an elite high-leverage lefty and pending free agent, alongside middle-innings arm Wandy Peralta. The "Possibly Traded" group is deeper: SP Michael King (whose player options complicate his market), IF Jake Cronenworth (reasonable contract but limited by a concussion-shortened year), veteran SP Walker Buehler, SS Xander Bogaerts (whom Holt argues they should try to offload to clear payroll, even eating money), and reliever Yuki Matsui. In "Unlikely To Be Traded": Fernando Tatis Jr., the franchise face who would only move in a full teardown, and Mason Miller, the game's best reliever in 2026 (0.78 ERA), acquired for top prospect Leo De Vries and under team control for three more years. The Padres' unpredictability makes projecting their moves especially difficult.

Ranking Padres Trade Candidates If They Sell At MLB Trade Deadline - Padres - Padres Mission

PADRESMISSION.COM

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If the Padres decide to sell at next month's trade deadline, who should we expect to be available to prospective buyers?

If The Toronto Blue Jays Sell At The Trade Deadline

Jesse Burrill writes that the Blue Jays, seven games below .500 heading into the All-Star break, have fallen short of sky-high 2026 expectations after injuries and underperformance by last year's World Series contributors. Their playoff odds had dropped to a season-low 25.2%, and while a sell-off isn't guaranteed, the front office must prepare for it by moving expiring contracts and veterans for pieces who could contribute by 2027, echoing their 2024 deadline approach rather than a full rebuild. In "Most Likely To Be Traded": SP Kevin Gausman, the biggest potential return as a durable workhorse (though he holds an eight-team no-trade clause); CF Daulton Varsho, a pending free agent and elite defender with left-handed power upside; and OF Myles Straw, valued for speed and defense if Toronto eats some salary. The "Worth Watching" tier includes DH George Springer (struggling at 36 with 10-and-5 no-trade rights), SP Shane Bieber (a former Cy Young winner scuffling post-injury), OF Jesús Sánchez (a useful bench bat controlled through 2027), and RHP Jeff Hoffman, whose strong season and 2027 control make him a tougher call if Toronto expects to contend, though Toronto fans are clamoring to see him leave Rogers Centre. "Probably Staying Put": OF Nathan Lukes, OF/2B Davis Schneider, and RHP Max Scherzer, the 41-year-old whose injuries, ineffectiveness, and full no-trade clause make a move hard to envision. Burrill concludes the next three weeks will determine the franchise's direction.

Ranking Blue Jays Trade Candidates If They Sell at the MLB Trade Deadline - Blue Jays - Jays Centre

JAYSCENTRE.COM

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The Blue Jays aren't out of the playoff push yet, but until their play improves, the possibility of selling at the deadline becomes more real. Here are the names to watch if they go that route.

Looking for a comprehensive list of trade candidates at the MLB trade deadline? Check out our list, now at 40+ players, and updated (near) daily!