Who doesn’t love a good mock? MLB’s Trade Deadline hits Monday, August 3rd at 6 pm EST, and here are ten moves I want to see happen before the final bell rings.

I already dropped one on X, and the results were mixed. Good. When fans on both sides are tearing me a new one, it usually means I’m onto something. These are trades I believe are fair for both parties involved, the kind of deals that could realistically get done before the deadline, not just fantasy trades I think would be entertaining. All ten players are likely to be moved, and every one of them is either already good or about as close to it as you’ll find.

At the end of the day, this is just a fun exercise. I had a blast putting it together, and I hope you have just as much fun reading it. Check out the Top 100 prospects so you can see where each of the prospects mentioned lands when compared to their peers. Click the YouTube link below to see more mock trades.

Blockbuster Trades

Tarik Skubal has been in the rumor mill for a while, and Jeff Passan noted there is a 60% chance of him getting traded. The Padres are fielding calls on Mason Miller, and Passan says he has a 40% chance of being traded. That’s enough for me to bring him up in this article.

Trade Idea Number 1:

Dodgers Receive: LHP Tarik Skubal

Tigers Receive: OF Zhyir Hope and RHP Emmett Sheehan

Skubal is only a rental; the Dodgers would get a few months of the regular season and a postseason run out of him, nothing more. But he might be the best rental moved since CC Sabathia went to Milwaukee in 2008.

Prying him away from Detroit means overpaying, and only a handful of teams have the capital to do that. There’s no better match than the Death Star Dodgers.

The Dodgers “kinda” need a pitcher. Glasnow, Snell, and Ohtani will all return at some point, but right now none of them are in the rotation. The Dodgers could still win a World Series without Skubal, or without any moves at all, but landing him would nearly guarantee the first three-peat since the late-’90s Yankees.

How much is that worth to the Dodgers?

The Tigers would get their hands on Emmett Sheehan, a 26-year-old who’s posted a 4.31 ERA and 3.47 xERA over 221 big league innings. He slots into the rotation immediately with years of control attached.

The centerpiece of the return is Zhyir Hope, our 40th-ranked prospect in baseball.

At just 21, he’s running a .900 OPS with 21 home runs and 17 stolen bases, a stupid amount of talent, and Detroit should be thrilled to add him. Los Angeles should feel comfortable moving him, given they have three other outfield prospects in our Top 100.

It’s an overpay. But if any organization can overpay without feeling it, it’s the Dodgers.

Trade Idea Number 2:

Yankees Receive: RHP Mason Miller

Padres Receive: SS George Lombard Jr, RHP Carlos Lagrange, OF Spencer Jones

Does Brian Cashman have the stones to move Lombard?

Only he can answer that, but here’s what we do know: the asking price for Miller starts at two top-100 prospects, and that’s where this deal begins.

George Lombard ranks 20th on our Top 100, and Carlos Lagrange comes in at 53, two excellent prospects that would force the Padres to listen, with the allure of Spencer Jones putting it over the top.

I got a lot of feedback from Yankee fans who think this is a massive overpay. Everyone else I talked to, non-Yankee fans, said it’s either a bit light or just a fair trade.

The Yankee fans’ objection comes down to Lombard. I get it; he’s the top prospect in the organization and likely the long-term answer at shortstop.

But he’s no guarantee, and it’s not as if his .832 OPS at AAA is blowing anyone out of the water. May I remind Yankee fans of Anthony Volpe, who carried similar prospect rankings.

Miller comes with 3.5 years of control, meaning Yankees games effectively shrink to eight innings through 2030. David Bednar is awesome, Aroldis Chapman had some great years, and so did Clay Holmes, but the Yankees haven’t had a closer at this level since Mariano Rivera.

He’d give them a true “super bullpen.” So yes, he’s technically a reliever, but not just any reliever. You’re getting the best closer in baseball for his age-27 through age-30 seasons. Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole keep aging; Cashman must capitalize before it’s too late.

Big Trades for Starting Pitching

Trade Idea Number 3:

Braves Receive: Michael Wacha

Royals Receive: RHP Owen Murphy, SS Alex Lodise

I’ve long called Michael Wacha the most underrated pitcher in baseball. Since 2022, among pitchers with at least 500 innings, Wacha ranks 17th in ERA at 3.49, ahead of names like Ranger Suárez, Dylan Cease, George Kirby, and Kevin Gausman.

He’s been above-average again this season, pitching to a 3.66 ERA over 125 innings.

His consistency and ability to eat innings should appeal to the Braves. Atlanta has gotten just 515 innings from its starters this season, tenth-worst in baseball. With Strider injured and Schwellenbach still on the shelf, they need a reliable innings eater who can keep them in games during the regular season and start a playoff game if needed.

That’s what Wacha brings, and the fact that he’ll make less than the qualifying offer next year makes him even more attractive.

Owen Murphy is a big piece of the return. He’s 20 years old and has already debuted for Atlanta after they took him in the first round out of high school in 2022.

He’s got a great fastball and should be a valuable arm as he develops. Alex Lodise, a 2025 second-round pick, is 22 and having a solid season in High-A. It’s a bit steep, but Wacha is a perfect fit for Atlanta.

Trade Idea Number 4:

Cubs Receive: RHP Freddy Peralta

Mets Receive: 1B Jonathan Long, 2B/3B James Triantos

Freddy Peralta is one of the hardest players to gauge in terms of current value. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball before this season, but not anymore. His 5.01 ERA is shocking, but there’s hope when you look under the hood; his 3.86 xERA suggests better days ahead. Still, the Mets will be lucky to get 60 cents on the dollar for him.

Peralta had plenty of success in a Brewers uniform pitching at Wrigley. It’s a division he’s comfortable in, and maybe the Cubs can get the best out of him by channeling some revenge against his former team.

The two prospects the Mets would get back are solid, but in Chicago, they’re completely blocked. Long has hit at every stop in the minors, but as a first baseman, he’s blocked by Michael Busch. And if James Triantos wasn’t already blocked by Nico Hoerner, he’s certainly blocked by Alex Bregman and Matt Shaw now.

It’s a solid return for the Mets, but the Cubs wouldn’t feel the cost the way other teams might. It addresses Chicago’s need for a starter while giving New York MLB-ready options to deploy as they see fit.

Trade Idea Number 5:

White Sox Receive: Robbie Ray

Giants Receive: RHP David Sandlin, SS Kyle Lodise, 2B Javier Mogollon

This one’s pretty straightforward. I’m borrowing the template from last year’s Merrill Kelly trade, Diamondbacks to Rangers. Ray, like Kelly, is on the older side, but he’s dependable and putting together a solid season. He’s compiled 110 innings at a 3.33 ERA, and the White Sox could certainly use an arm like that.

While it makes more sense for the White Sox’s timetable to target players with years of control, Ray wouldn’t cost much. Sandlin is the prize of the return, a 25-year-old right-hander with MLB experience.

Kyle Lodise is a 22-year-old shortstop having a decent season in High-A, a third-round pick in 2022. Javier Mogollon is the exciting piece, a 20-year-old in High-A with a .810 OPS, some power, and solid speed.

The White Sox wouldn’t have to part with any key pieces, but they’d land a solid three-starter to help make a run at the postseason. The Giants, meanwhile, salvage the situation with a three-prospect package that carries some upside.

Trade Idea Number 6:

Rangers Receive: Clay Holmes

Mets Receive: RHP Jose Corniel, RHP Winston Santos, C Malcome Moore

The feedback I got on this one was that it’s too steep for Clay Holmes. Sue me — I think Holmes is awesome and deserves a package this size. He’s still working his way back from injury, so if he doesn’t look right, throw this one out the window. But I’m assuming he returns looking like his normal self, and that he’s a solid number-two starter.

Since joining the Mets, Holmes ranks 15th in ERA at 3.26 among pitchers with at least 200 innings, ahead of names like Jacob deGrom, Bryan Woo, Logan Webb, and Logan Gilbert. He was fantastic this year, pitching to a 2.39 ERA with a 56% ground-ball rate before getting hurt.

I love the fit with Texas. For whatever reason, they always seem to get forgotten in these conversations. They’re leading their division and need a pitcher, especially with Gore not reaching his potential this season. If Gore figures it out, you’ve got your Game 4 starter; if not, he can turn into a bullpen weapon.

The two pitchers headed to New York in this deal have plenty of talent, but the results haven’t followed. Trading them could bite the Rangers, but it’s just as possible neither ever figures it out. Moore has a .791 OPS in AA as a 22-year-old, though there are concerns about his defense behind the plate. He was a first-round pick who hasn’t lived up to the billing just yet.

Best Reliever Available (Not Named Mason Miller)

Trade Idea Number 7:

Mariners Receive: RHP Luke Weaver

Mets Receive: OF Lazaro Montes

Crazy, right? Lazaro Montes checks in at 84 on our Top 100 because of his enormous power potential. But he’s striking out in the minors north of 30% of the time, and he doesn’t really have a position; he hasn’t proven he can handle an everyday outfield role.

The Mets would be taking on risk, but the upside is real. Weaver, meanwhile, couldn’t be a better fit for Seattle, which needs a lockdown right-handed reliever, and that’s exactly what Luke Weaver is. Among relievers with an ERA under 2.00 this year, only ten have thrown at least 40 innings – Weaver is one of them. That’s nothing new for him; he’s posted a 2.94 ERA since 2024.

Getting to Muñoz hasn’t been easy for Seattle this year, and Weaver is the perfect bridge. He’s also got experience locking down the ninth, and let’s not forget his epic postseason run in 2024, when he threw 15.1 innings with a 1.76 ERA. Montes is a well-known name to Seattle, but Weaver is the arm that separates a good bullpen from a great one, and they’d get him for 2027 too.

Best Bats Traded

Trade Idea Number 8:

Phillies Receive: Spencer Steer

Reds Receive: OF Dante Nori, RHP Cody Bowker, OF Raylin Heredia

I had the chance to interview Phillies legend Ryan Howard, and I asked him what Philadelphia needs at the deadline. He pointed to a right-handed bat as one of the major needs, and Steer fits that bill. He’s on pace for 25 home runs this year, which would make it four straight seasons of 20-plus. He’s also played every position outside of shortstop and catcher this year, and he comes with 2.5 years of control, making him even more attractive for the Phillies.

The package headed back to Cincinnati is right up the Reds’ alley. Dante Nori has some TJ Friedl in his game; a quick, left-handed-hitting outfielder who can handle center field. The Phillies took him in the first round back in 2024, and he’d be a solid get for the Reds.

Cody Bowker, a third-round pick in 2025, has posted strong results in High-A, with 27 strikeouts against just 4 walks over 23 innings. Raylin Heredia is more of a lottery ticket: plenty of power, but with real swing-and-miss concerns.

Feels like a win-win for both sides. The Reds retool with pitching and outfield help, while the Phillies land a right-handed power bat who can fill in almost anywhere on the field.

Trade Idea Number 9:

Rays Receive: Luis Arraez

Giants Receive: RHP Michael Forrett, OF Brailer Guerrero

I love the Arraez fit with Tampa. Imagine Chandler Simpson getting on in the nine-hole, Arraez turning a perfect hit-and-run, then handing it off to Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda, and Junior Caminero. Richie Palacios can slide to other positions; he doesn’t need to be the everyday second baseman anymore, which is exactly what Arraez has become now that he’s turned into one of the better defenders at the position.

Arraez’s defensive improvement is incredible; his 10 Outs Above Average rank seventh among all qualified fielders in baseball. He’s hitting .320, which we’re used to, but his .446 slugging is a welcome surprise.

The package is pretty straightforward for a rental bat. Tampa’s farm system is phenomenal, likely slotting in just behind Milwaukee for best in baseball (maybe third, behind the Dodgers).

Their 12th-ranked prospect would be a top-ten guy in most other systems, and that’s what San Francisco would be getting in right-handed pitcher Michael Forrett. I also threw in Brailer Guerrero, a 20-year-old in A-ball with elite exit velocities and regular flashes of plus power. He’s more of a lottery ticket, though; he still needs to refine his mechanics and improve the hit tool.

Overall, it’s a fair swap: Tampa gets a much-needed bat, and San Francisco gets a more-than-fair return.

Trade Idea Number 10:

Guardians Receive: Mickey Moniak

Rockies Receive: RHP Daniel Espino, SS Welbyn Francisca

Moniak is another player I’m having a hard time gauging value on. On one hand, he’s a former number-one overall pick with a 124 wRC+ who’s projected to finish with 25-plus home runs. On the other, he can’t hit lefties (.625 OPS), and his road OPS is concerning at .668. Still, this reminds me of the Lane Thomas move Cleveland made a few years back.

The Guardians could really use a power bat in the outfield. Cleveland outfielders have combined for 28 home runs, which, fittingly, ranks 28th in baseball. Their combined 93 wRC+ ranks 21st. Moniak isn’t a game-changing bat, but he won’t demand a game-changing price either; he’s a solid piece that fits exactly what the Guardians need.

Heading to Colorado would be Daniel Espino, a hard-throwing righty who’s dealt with a long list of injuries but is finally healthy, with a pitch mix that fits what Colorado should be targeting for pitchers who can handle altitude.

Welbyn Francisca is a 20-year-old in High-A with a .787 OPS. To become a big-league regular, he’ll need to unlock more power, but he brings a solid hit tool and plenty of speed; good traits for succeeding at Coors Field.

Moniak also comes with 1.5 years of control, so even if he doesn’t adjust well this year, he’d still be a nice piece for the 2027 squad.