Tracking Buyers and Sellers at the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline

This year’s MLB trade deadline is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.

For one thing, it’s still not entirely clear who the top players traded will be. The two most talked-about trade candidates for months, Luis Robert Jr. and Sandy Alcantara, are both playing shockingly poorly.

What’s more, there are only a handful of teams in each league sure to be sellers, and there’s a reason for that – they don’t have much talent to sell.

Meanwhile, there are some clubs on the bubble whose trade plans remain up in the air – with hours to go before the deadline. Another handful are likely to take a mixed approach at the deadline, shopping some of their veterans on expiring contracts but still looking to contend.

Without a clear sense of which players will be dealt – or which teams will look to acquire them – it can be hard to know what to expect from trade deadline season. Thankfully, Just Baseball has you covered with this buyer/seller tracker. We’ve grouped all 30 teams into categories, and we’ll be updating this post regularly as the trade deadline approaches.

Last updated on July 31, 2025.

These Teams Will Be Buying

Teams in bold have been featured in a Just Baseball write-up about their trade deadline outlook. Click the links to dive deeper into what their needs may be come July 31.

American League Buyers

• Detroit Tigers
• New York Yankees
• Houston Astros
• Toronto Blue Jays
• Seattle Mariners
• Boston Red Sox
• Texas Rangers

The Yankees and Astros are perennial contenders. The Blue Jays surged into “serious contender” territory with an incredible run that put them atop the AL East. The Tigers have been the best team in the AL Central all year.

The Mariners are several games behind the Astros in the AL West, but they have as good a chance as anyone to claim a Wild Card spot.

The Red Sox won their final 10 games of the first half, making them the latest team to move from “we’ll see” to “sure to be buying.” They are now eight games above .500 and in possession of the second AL Wild Card spot.

Finally, the Rangers have been playing well as of late. They’re tied with the Mariners for the third Wild Card spot right now, and it looks like they’re going to be buying at the deadline.

National League Buyers

• Los Angeles Dodgers
• Chicago Cubs
• New York Mets
• Philadelphia Phillies
• San Diego Padres
• Cincinnati Reds

The Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, and Phillies are the cream of the crop in the National League (along with the Brewers, but more on them in a moment). They’re all in playoff positions, but they all have holes to fill. They’ll be buying.

As for the Padres, I wondered whether or not to put them in the “a bit of both” category. After all, just this past offseason, they were rumored to be shopping (or at least taking calls on) several key players, including Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Luis Arraez.

Ultimately, however, the Padres need all hands on deck – and then some – to compete in the National League, and A.J. Preller knows that. (Welcome to San Diego, Mason Miller!)

The Reds signalled they’ll be buying with their acquisition of Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates.

These Teams Will Be Selling

Teams in bold have been featured in a Just Baseball write-up about their trade deadline outlook. Click the links to dive deeper into what their needs may be come July 31.

American League Sellers

• Athletics
• Baltimore Orioles
• Minnesota Twins
• Cleveland Guardians
• Chicago White Sox

The White Sox and Athletics are buried deep below .500. The A’s would need a miracle to make the playoffs, and the White Sox would need three miracles and some magic beans. It’s not happening.

The Orioles, Twins, and Guardians all seemed like contenders entering the season, but they have officially accepted their seller status.

National League Sellers

• Washington Nationals
• Miami Marlins
• Pittsburgh Pirates
• Colorado Rockies
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• San Francisco Giants
• St. Louis Cardinals

The Rockies could very well be the worst team in modern baseball history, while the Nationals and Pirates are merely bad teams with too many serious contenders ahead of them.

The Marlins have played surprisingly well lately, but even so, they remain three games below .500 and seven back of a playoff berth.

The Diamondbacks, Giants, and Cardinals are the new additions to this section of our list, having begun to sell off pieces ahead of the deadline.

We’re Still Waiting To Find Out

Teams in bold have been featured in a Just Baseball write-up about their trade deadline outlook. Click the links to dive deeper into what their needs may be come July 31.

American League

• Kansas City Royals
• Los Angeles Angels

Right now, both the Royals and Angels are looking like light buyers (even if the Angels really shouldn’t be), but there is still time for things to change.

National League

• Atlanta Braves

Alright, I’ve rewritten Atlanta’s blurb a lot over the past few weeks, and with hours to go before the deadline and things changing every minute, I’m not going to do it again – everything is too volatile. Should the Braves sell? Yes, at least their rentals. But we still don’t know what they’re planning to.

A Bit of Both?

Teams in bold have been featured in a Just Baseball write-up about their trade deadline outlook. Click the links to dive deeper into what their needs may be come July 31.

• Tampa Bay Rays
• Milwaukee Brewers

The Rays and Brewers are both contenders, but these teams operate under strict payroll limitations. They have shown a willingness to trade core contributors at the deadline, even amidst a contending season.