The All-Star break has come and gone, the second half is hot out of the oven, and the MLB Trade Deadline is just days away. That said, here is one thing that each team can do to best position themselves for the home stretch of the season.

AL EAST

Baltimore Orioles – Make a decision on Jackson Holliday

Jackson Holliday is is still the number one prospect in all of baseball. No, his first foray in the majors did not go very well, going 2-34 with 18 strikeouts in 10 games, but I do not believe that will be indicative of his big league career. I think that the Orioles felt pressured to bring him up and rushed his development. When they sent him back down to AAA Norfolk, he picked up right back where he left off. We’ve seen it before with Dansby Swanson and the Braves. They rushed him straight up from AA, and things were rough, then they sent him back down, and the next time he came up, he stayed for good. Give Holliday time. The troubling part is that the O’s have not been subtle about the possibility of trading Holliday. There are teams I really think could use him, but Baltimore is in a good position going forward, with or without Holliday. Develop him or deal him but do it now.

New York Yankees – Get right

It may sound a bit on the nose, but the Yankees are in a weird spot. There don’t seem to be many glaring weaknesses that have caused their abysmal 11-23 stretch since June 15th. They’ve hit the 2nd most home runs in baseball, kept their strikeouts down, and have the 3rd-best team ERA in the American League. Their problems seem to be mental, as their manager Aaron Boone is a fiery, emotion leader, which can be good when things are going well, but in times like this, can be a distraction. They did just land Jazz Chisolm, whose energy and defensive versatility could prove increasingly valuable in the absence of Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo.

Boston Red Sox – Give Netflix a good finish

When it was announced prior to the season that the Red Sox would be the subject of a Hard Knocks-style baseball documentary, fans were eager to see what Boston would do to contend. A quiet offseason left many disappointed, but the Sox have managed to maneuver themselves into the hunt for a Wild Card spot. Making a splash at the deadline and give Netflix a finish akin to having to reshoot the ending of 2004’s Fever Pitch during the championship celebration. One suggestion: call up your division rival and do what it takes to land Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He has the league’s 12-highest average and could have some fun with the hitter-friendly conditions of Fenway Park – a welcome addition to a contending team would strikes out a lot, and whose current options at first base are collectively hitting just a few ticks north of the dreaded Mendoza line.

Toronto Blue Jays – Build Back Better

Personally, I believe that the story of the Blue Jays has been one of the more frustrating ones in recent years. Once upon a time when they trotted out the 2nd-generation trio of Guerrero Jr., Bichette and Cavan Biggio, contention seemed inevitable, Unfortunately, the hype never materialized to results, and Cavan Biggio (who was just traded to the Dodgers minutes ago at the time this is being written), has only hit above .235 once in his 6-year career. The Jays have many valuable trade pieces that could help build the team for the future, and I think that’s the best move for the team up north.

Tampa Bay Rays – Call up Junior Caminero

With Randy Arozarena now gone, the Rays are firmly in rebuilding mode. Honestly, it’s been a pretty steep decline in the 4 years since the World Series, and I think they might still be living in the cursed shadow of a certain former shortstop prospect who shall remain nameless, but Caminero could be the piece to build around in the future. He’s currently the number 3 prospect in all of baseball, has plus power and has already had a cup of coffee in the Majors, playing 7 games with the Rays in 2023.

AL CENTRAL

Cleveland Guardians – Stay the course

Sounds pretty dull. and I’m sure they’ll make a move or two, but the Guardians have been one of the best teams in all of baseball for the entire season. Humorously, this time a year ago, I chose the Guardians to seperate themselves in a very average AL Central race, and they did the opposite. A year later, they’re the cream of the crop. Pretty solid in all categories and ready to contend. Could use another bat in the lineup, so I’ll throw out a name: Jake Berger.

Minnesota Twins – Fortify Bullpen

Like the Guardians, the Twins are pretty solid all the way around. If they can keep everyone healthy, their offense is one of the best in the American League at driving in runs. It seems that their weakness is their bullpen. They’re not horrible, but if there’s one thing you can never have enough of, it’s bullpen arms. Suggestion: Michael Kopech and John Brebbia

Kansas City Royals – Trade for Brent Rooker

The Royals are in the Wild Card mix but may need a spark to hold of Boston. I suggest that they upgrade the outfield. MJ Melendez is hitting .196, and Drew Waters has turned out not to be the prospect that Kansas City or Atlanta expected him to be, so if they expect to make a push, that a position to address. Brent Rooker is one of the hottest names on the market – an all-star for the lowly A’s. Hitting .294 with 25 HRs, he’d be a massive upgrade to a corner outfield position for the team the team that cut him after 14 games in 2022. A potential reunion would almost certainly provide a better outcome for both. Additionally, KC’s bullpen has the second-highest batting average against in baseball, so the Royals could use some swing and miss pitching as well.

Detroit Tigers – Move on from Javy Baez

I’ve had my eye on the Tigers for a few years now. With AJ Hinch at the helm, and tons of young talent, it seems like a matter of time for the Tigers. There are a few things I could point to for Detroit here. As much as I want to say ‘Hang on to Tarik Skubal, he’s one of the most sought-after starters on the market right now, and there may be an offer too good to pass up. I could also recommend calling up Jace Jung, but as this is not the year for Detroit, let him bake a little more in AAA. Let’s a void a Jackson Holliday situation here. For me, what it all comes back to is Javy Baez. I just don’t get it. He’s hitting .181 this season with a -1.5 WAR and a three-year stretch with the Tigers that isn’t much better. His .252 career average is extremely generous. He’s literally one of the worst hitters in the league that still has an everyday job. If his name wasn’t Javy Baez, he’d have been out of the league a few years ago. He’s dragging down a promising young team.

Chicago White Sox – Rehire Ozzie Guillen as manager this offseason

Okay, I’ll admit, this one’s a long shot, but this organization is a mess, and it’s been apparent for years. Politics, infighting, no culture to speak of, no desire to win, the list goes on and on. This is no easy fix here. The collapse of the team that just a few short years ago was one of the best in the AL was shift and frightening. I can’t say anything good about this organization, except that they have Garrett Crochet (but not for long). The only hope this team has ANY time soon, would be to bring back Ozzie Guillen as manager. That’s the last time this team had any consistency or identity….oh yeah, and a championship. His impassioned rant on the set of the White Sox postgame show in 2023 proves how much he still cares about the organization (he might be the only one left at this point).

AL WEST

Houston Astros – Get Healthy/Trade For Garrett Crochet

The Astros are heating up, going 29-16 since June 1st, after a 25-33 start to the season. This is largely attributed to a laundry list of early season injuries, especially to the pitching staff. But as the team gets healthier, the record improves. Space City finds themselves in first place in the AL West. The offense is fine, sporting the best team batting average in the Majors. They will soon get Justin Verlander back to help the pitching staff, but they’re still decimated. As much as I, like every other baseball fan outside of the greater Houston area, doesn’t wish to see the Astros make it to an eigth consecutive ALCS, Garret Crochet would be a perfect fit for Houston as they try to complete the comeback. Crochet is one of my favorite pitchers right now, and the biggest name on the market.

Seattle Mariners – Trade For Johnathan India

India has stated that he’d like to stay in Cincinnati, but his name has come up in many trade rumors in recent days. I believe that India slots in perfectly for multiple reasons. While the Mariners have boasted arguably the league’s best pitching staff, their offense has been woefully inconsistent. They’re second-to-last in the entire league in team batting average and strikeout more than any other team in baseball. Additionally, Seattle is in the bottom third of the league in fielding percentage. India is a steady hitter with a reliable glove. No one hitter is going to fix Seattle offense, but they did just pick up Randy Arozarena from the Rays, so India could be a great offensive complement.

Texas Rangers – Trade For Logan Webb

This one hurts me on a personal level because Webb is my favorite pitcher in baseball, and I had high hopes for the Giants this year. This move is pretty unlikely, due to the fact that San Fran has control over Webb for three more years, but crazier things have happened. Even though the Rangers are 51-54 on the year, at this moment in time, the division is wide open, sitting just 4.5 back of 1st place. Texas has played much better in July, going 13-7, and that offense is capable of anything on any given night. With Eovaldi as solid as ever and Scherzer back with the club, the defending champs are poised to make a run. DeGrom is supposedly on the verge of throwing, but who knows if we’ll ever see him again. Webb could fill that void nicely. Snell is also an option, if the Giants don’t want to give up control of Webb. The Rangers also have one of the worst bullpen ERAs in the league, so that might be a bigger point of concern.

Los Angeles Angels – Trust Ron Washington

Not much to say here. The Angels front office has proven that they don’t know how to handle their business. First, they hire Joe Maddon, get off to a great start, then fire Maddon at the first sign of trouble. Then, in the last year with Ohtani, they failed to properly build around him, then failed to get anything in return for him. The only good thing they’ve done in the last few years has been hiring Ron Washington. Wash is a wizard of fundamentals and development, and the Halos have several good young players with potential – Moniak, Neto, O’Hoppe, Adell – that I believe Wash could continue to build up. While a 45-60 record certainly isn’t good, it’s pretty promising considering that they have no Ohtani and Mike Trout has missed a large chunk of the year. Trust the process, Wash is your guy.

Oakland Athletics – Enjoy Sacramento

The Athletics actually played pretty well to start the season, but nobody thought it would last, it was a fluke. This team is in no position to win anytime soon. Their management has mangled everything they’ve touched in recent years, and they are likely to lose their two best players – Mason Miller and Brent Rooker – at the deadline. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Shea Langeliers move as well. Sacramento only as 14,000 seats, as the A’s need a temporary home before the Vegas stadium is ready but given how bad Oakland is they may not need all of the seats that Sacramento provides.

NL EAST

Philadelphia Phillies – Trade for Mason Miller

It’s true that Mason Miller is dealing with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand, but he remains one of the most valuable players on the market right now. Will that injury hurt his market? For teams in need of bullpen help, which as I stated earlier, is everyone, it shouldn’t. As the team with the best record in baseball, the Phillies don’t have a lot of weaknesses. Anything they add at this point would be icing. They already landed Austin Hays this week to give them offensive depth, but they ARE middle of the road or worse in most bullpen categories. If you’re going to add depth, why not add the best. Mason Miller is a hot commodity, and after a short stay on the IL, should be ready to anchor a championship-caliber bullpen.

Atlanta Braves – Bring back Kevin Pillar

The Braves have seemingly been playing all year without an identity. The record-setting offense from a season ago is a distant memory, they have been shattered by injuries to star players Ronald Acuna Jr., Spencer Strider, Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies, and yet somehow, the still find themselves in control of the NL’s top Wild Card spot. This is largely due to the fact that they possess one of the league’s best pitching staff’s (especially their bullpen), and the fact that Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez and Marcell Ozuna have all turned back the clock and turned in career years to date, all in contention for various end-of-season awards. Atlanta could use a fifth starter, as they’ve had a carousel of arms in that slot, but of their area of concern, stemming from the laundry list of injuries is in the outfield. Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario are no longer everyday options, and Jarred Kelenic is hot and cold. As a side note, Orlando Arcia is not the answer at short, but they can address that in the offseason (though, I wouldn’t hate a trade for Bo Bichette). If you’d asked me a few days ago, I would’ve thrown out Randy Arozerna’s name, but Seattle beat the Braves to that punch. I am recommending a reunion with Kevin Pillar. Pillar is hitting .287 for the lowly Angels and has announced that this is likely his last year. The trade deadline seems to be when GM Alex Anthopoulos shines the brightest, and he’s not shy about player reunion, so we’ll see what AA has up his sleeve this time around.

New York Mets – Trade for Jameson Tallion

Having once been considered sellers, the Mets have drastically turned things around headed into the deadline. On June 12th, Grimace (yes, the McDonald’s mascot) threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Since then, the Mets have a 27-12 record, the best mark in baseball, and currently sit in the final NL Wild Card spot. Having flipped the script on the season, the Mets could use an arm in their rotation. The Mets bullpen is doing much of the heavy lifting, boasting the 4th-highest bullpen win total in the league. The starters find themselves in the bottom half of the league in that category. Taillon could provide additional stability for that unit as they push for the Postseason.

Washington Nationals – Keep Growing!

The Nationals are a fun team and have hung around .500 for much of the season. They’re not in a position to win this year but have shown a lot of promise for the future. They have a lot of young talent like CJ Abrams, James Woods and MacKenzie Gore, who are already making noise at the major league level. Additionally, top prospects Dylan Crews and Brady House are due to join the party soon. I also love the veteran energy that Joey Meneses and Logan Thomas bring to the team.

Miami Marlins – Overhaul the front office

The surprise run to the playoffs in 2023 that netted Skip Shumaker NL Manager of the Year honors in his first season seems like a distant memory. I lost what little repect I had left for the Marlins after they sought to hire a President of Baseball Operations, effectively demoting GM Kim Ng to second-in-command in her own department. Quite a bold (and frankly, dumb) move immediately following Ng making history and leading the Fish to the Postseason. Ng rightly used the snub as a reason to walk away, and anyone involved in that situation should be shown the door as well. Tear it down to the studs and start again.

NL CENTRAL

Milwaukee Brewers – Trade for Tarik Skubal

I am on the record as saying that I DO NOT believe the Tigers should move Skubal, but if they did. Milwaukee makes a lot of sense. I believe the Brewers to be the weakest of the current division leaders. Their offense is reliable enough in a weaker division, but their starting rotation is among the worst in Major League Baseball. The bullpen is shouldering the load, leading the league in bullpen wins, and sitting 3rd and 8th in ERA and BAA respectively. Acquiring Skubal could lessen the burden on the backend, and Milwaukee could hope to capture similar 2nd half magic as they got from the CC Sabathia trade in ’08.

St. Louis Cardinals – Inject youth

After beginning the season as clear sellers, the Cardinals have remained steady and positioned themselves for to make a late-season push for the Central. They are only 6 games behind the Brewers in first. Unfortunately, the Cards are the oldest team in baseball, with an average age of 31. Barring injury, I think that STL’s star power of Goldschmidt and Arenado can power them to October. A valuable third could help. I’ve read that the Cubs are listening on Nico Hoerner, though a trade with their archrival seems unlikely. Not impossible, but unlikely. Horner would bring youth to the club in the short term, but the big move is, if the Orioles are willing to move Jackson Holliday, the Cards should call this offseason.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Trade for Kris Bryant

With the emergence of Mitch Keller, Jared Jones and Paul Skenes as a formidable Big 3 in that rotation for years to come, now is the time to build around this solid foundation. The Pirates have a shot at a wild card spot this season, currently sitting 2 games back of the final spot, but if that’s going to happen, the offense needs a boost. The Pirates are near the bottom of the league in runs per game, despite a great season by Bryan Reynolds. For 2024, I’m intrigued by the potential of adding Kris Bryant. True, the former NL MVP has had a couple of down years in Colorado, but I truly believe the 32-year-old still has some good baseball in him. For 2025 and beyond, Pittsburgh is where the Jackson Holliday rumors began, and that’s actually where I like him best. Additionally, I believe that the Buccos should take a run at acquiring Pete Alonso in the offseason. I believe that the future of the NL Central will run through Pittsburgh.

Cincinnati Reds – Trade For Jose Berrios or Kevin Gausman

Before the season began, the Reds were chosen by many as the favorite to win the Central, Safe to say, they haven’t lived up to that. They are one of the worst hitting teams in baseball in many aspects, so it may be more advantages for them to go after a bat, but with as crowded as the standings are, I don’t see Cincy making a push in 2024. Instead, I look toward 2025, and am confronted by the idea that, the last time the Big Red Machine made the Postseason in 2020, it was behind the pitching attack led by Trevor Bauer, Sonny Gray, and Luis Castillo. I believe pitching is the way back to October baseball in Cincinnati, and Toronto has couple that would build a good foundation behind Hunter Greene. Pair that staff with Elly De La Cruz and the other young studs in the Reds batting order, and you’ve really got something.

Chicago Cubs – Trade for Camillo Doval

The Cubbies are a mystery. As the basement dweller in the Central (r eported tied with the Reds), and a general disappointment after seemingly going all in to be a win-now club, it seems clear that the Cubs should be sellers. And the fact that they’re supposedly listening on offers for both Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ would suggest they are, but they recently landed Isaac Paredes in a trade with the Rays and are reportedly checking in on Blake Snell, implying that they may be buying. The Cubs ARE only 5 games back in the wild card race, so maybe they’re hedging their bets. Assuming they buy, Chicago has one of the best starters ERAs in baseball, but the bullpen is in the bottom half of the league in earned runs, home runs and WHIP. Adding flame thrower Camilo Doval to the back of that bullpen could give the North Siders a boost.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers – Trade for Tanner Scott

The Dodgers are a perennial favorite in the National League, and as such, much like the Phillies, any moves they make would be icing. The Dodgers could, and probably will, land any big free agent they want. I’m going to keep it simple in my recommendation. The only perceived weakness that I can see is that the Dodgers have the most blown saves by any contending team in baseball. Obviously, the back end of the bullpen is the most pressure-packed spot, and that is exponentially heightened in October. If they’re not scared away by the injury, Mason Miller is an obvious choice here, but due to my pre-determined parameters of this post, I won’t be recommending one player for multiple teams, so my selection for the Dodgers here is Tanner Scott. Scott has 18 saves and a 1.18 ERA for a 39-win Marlins team. His steadiness could prove extremely valuable for a late-inning spot that has been anything but.

San Diego Padres – Find consistency

The Padres obviously have a lot of talent. That’s no secret. There doesn’t seem to be a glaring need on this roster. They are tops in the league in team batting average in hits and team batting average, and their pitching staff has them 2nd in strikeouts. Many picked them as a team to challenge the Dodgers, but I didn’t buy it, because there was something about them I couldn’t trust. One look at their team splits tells the story: 26-28 at home, but 31-22 on the road. 24-18 in day games, but 33-32 at night. 12-15 in April, 16-11 in May, 15-13 in June, and 11-8 in July. A .273 team average with a .750 OPS vs. right-handed pitchers, vs. .241 and .696 respectively vs. lefties. No transactional recommendation here, just an awareness that a team with this much talent desperately needs to find a way to be more consistent if they want to finally overtake the rival Dodgers.

Arizona Diamondbacks – Add Kyle Finnegan

The reigning National League champions had a rough start to the season, going 22-31 through the first two months of the year, but since June 1st, they’ve really turned it on, going 30-18 since. They’re currently a half-game behind the Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot. Like the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks could use some 9th inning help. They have 18 blown saves in 41 opportunities, which is 6th-most in baseball. One call to the nation’s capital could be the answer. No, I’m not talking about a government bailout; I’m talking about calling the Nats about Kyle Finnegan. Finnegan is 3rd in the league in saves with 28 (in 32 chances) and sports a 2.47 ERA with a microscopic .184 batting average against. With the offense figuring it out, boosted by stellar years by Ketel Marte and Christian Walker, along with a surprisingly consistent contribution from Joc Pederson, if the Snakes can lock down a few more games in the 9th, they can be right back in the Postseason defending their league crown in 2024.

San Francisco Giants – Move Jorge Soler and Tyler Rogers

I’ll keep this one short: I’ve already mentioned that I had higher expectations for the Giants than what they’ve achieved, and with several teams checking in on Blake Snell, it’s increasingly likely that they will sell. However, they’re only 3.5 games out of a wild card spot, and I do think there’s a lot of talent on that roster, and they’re not far off. Because of that, even though I’ve mentioned Logan Webb as a possible trade target, I’d advise against it for the Giants. That said, they could shed some weight and get value without blowing up a decent roster. Jorge has a big bat and has proven his ability to be a massive piece for a championship contender in October (2021 World Series MVP with ATL), and Taylor Rogers is posting a 3.26 ERA in almost 50 innings. Could provide value for one of the many teams seeking bullpen help.

Colorado Rockies – Get value for Nolan Jones and Kris Bryant

At least in my mind the Rockies are one of the most likeable teams in the league with one of the most picturesque and hitter-friendly environments, so I’ve always viewed it as a shame that they can’t field a consistent winner. Team veteran Charlie Blackmon is on his way out, and there’s not much to get excited about in the short-term, but they do have 5 of the Top 100 prospects, which is the 4th-most in the league. The best move for the Rox is value. There may not be much of a market for the 38-year-old Blackmon, but Nolan Jones has proven to one of the best young infielders in the game and, as I mentioned, I believe Kris Bryant still has something to give to a contending team. Move them, get value, and build for the future of the Mile High City.

If you’re still reading at this point, I appreciate you! With the deadline literally around the corner, we’re in store for a lot of excitement. I don’t know if anything I’ve laid out here will actually happen, but I’ve made some suggestions for conversation’s sake. Happy Trade Deadline and see you on the next one!