These trade candidates have seen their stock start to soar

Although the Trade Deadline is still more than seven weeks away, we recently examined some of the biggest questions that need to be answered as teams around the Majors begin to formulate their plans for trade season.

Aside from a handful, it’s still unclear which clubs will be buyers and which will be sellers, but scouts and executives are already monitoring which players could be available – and of that group, which ones are playing well enough to make them desirable additions.

Here’s a look at a dozen players (listed alphabetically) whose recent performances have their trade stock on the rise.

Tyler Anderson, LHP, Angels
Taylor Ward, OF, Angels

The Angels remain in the AL Wild Card race, sitting four games out of a postseason spot despite their 31-34 record. If they wind up selling, Anderson and Ward will both be intriguing trade candidates for several teams around MLB. Anderson is earning $13 million in the final season of his three-year, $39 million deal, while Ward is making $7.825 million this season and is arbitration-eligible for one more year.

Anderson has had a few rocky starts of late, but he posted a 2.04 ERA in six starts between April 12 and May 11, and his 3.99 ERA in 13 outings this season would fit into a number of contending rotations. Ward was a popular name on the rumor mill during the offseason, but the Angels chose to hold him for the 2025 season. The 31-year-old got off to a rough start (.594 OPS) despite hitting eight homers in his first 37 games, but he has 10 home runs, 29 RBIs and a .942 OPS in 27 games since May 11.

Jake Bird, RHP, Rockies

Bird has excelled all season, but his past month has been exceptional: He’s allowed one earned run over 13 appearances since May 7 (16 innings) for a 0.56 ERA. Bird has struck out 16 batters while walking only two during that stretch, and he ranks in the top 15 percentile on the season in strikeout percentage, barrel percentage, xERA and xBA.

David Bednar, RHP, Pirates

Bednar struggled so much to start the season that the Pirates demoted him to Triple-A on April 1, but the reliever has been formidable since returning to the Majors on April 19. In 22 outings since then, Bednar had a 2.61 ERA with seven saves, striking out 30 batters in 20 2/3 innings to regain the closer role. Pittsburgh faces a double-digit deficit in both the NL Central and Wild Card races, and with Bednar earning $5.9 million this season with one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining, the time is right for the Pirates to trade him.

Edward Cabrera, RHP, Marlins

Cabrera got off to a tough start this season, posting a 7.23 ERA in four April starts. And while the right-hander has yet to provide much length for the Marlins of late, the innings he has pitched have been far better. Cabrera is 2-1 with a 2.03 ERA in six starts since the start of May, striking out 33 in 31 innings. He’s still averaging only five innings per start, but his fastball velocity (96.4 mph) ranks in the 84th percentile of the league, and his 30.8% chase rate puts him in the top quarter. The 27-year-old is earning $1.95 million this year and is arbitration-eligible for the next three, providing controllable years that should be appealing to clubs that believe in his frontline stuff.

Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Red Sox

The veteran reliever has been superb for the Red Sox, who signed Chapman to a one-year, $10.75 million deal over the winter. He has successfully converted 11 of 12 save opportunities this season, posting a 1.65 ERA in 30 appearances. Over his past 15 outings, Chapman has a 1.29 ERA, striking out 17 batters over 14 innings. Boston showed signs of life over the weekend against the Yankees, but the Sox remain below .500 and could find themselves in the sellers’ market if they can’t turn things around during the next month.

Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals

Since suffering back-to-back blown saves at the end of April, Finnegan – who signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Nationals three months after the club non-tendered him – has been effective for Washington, successfully converting nine of 10 save opportunities with a 1.64 ERA since May 1. Even more encouraging, Finnegan has issued only one walk in those 11 appearances after walking seven batters in his first 12 outings. His fastball velocity (96 mph), barrel percentage (6%) and ground-ball percentage (49.3) all rank in the top quarter of all players this season.

Austin Hays, OF, Reds

When he’s been on the field, Hays has made the most of his opportunity with the Reds, who signed him to a one-year, $5 million deal with a $12 million mutual option for 2026 ($1 million buyout). Hays is slashing .303/.346/.555 with six home runs, 25 RBIs and 1.3 bWAR in 31 games, though he’s currently on the injured list for the third time. Hays fouled a ball off his left foot on May 28, adding a contusion to a calf strain and hamstring strain on his list of 2025 injuries, but his IL stint isn’t expected to be long.

Merrill Kelly, RHP, Diamondbacks
Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks have been disappointing this season, posting a 32-34 record and leaving them in fourth place in the NL West. With Corbin Burnes out for the season with a torn UCL, Arizona might wind up selling by the Deadline, with Suárez and Kelly – who are both slated to become free agents after the season – among the prime trade candidates. Kelly is 3-1 with a 2.37 ERA in eight starts since May 1, while Suárez has eight home runs, 25 RBIs and an .881 OPS over his past 28 games, giving him 18 homers, 48 RBIs and an .812 OPS for the season.

Zack Littell, RHP, Rays
Brandon Lowe, 2B, Rays

The Rays are in the playoff picture at 36-30, but there’s no more unconventional team when it comes to the Trade Deadline than Tampa Bay, especially when it comes to players with limited control. Littell ($5.72 million salary in 2025) is slated to become a free agent after the season, while Lowe is earning $10.5 million this season and has an $11.5 million club option for 2026. Since a pair of poor outings in early April, Littell is 6-2 with a 2.83 ERA over his past 10 starts, while Lowe has overcome a .550 OPS in his first 36 games to post a 1.011 mark with eight homers and 17 RBIs over his past 25 contests.