These 2025 Deadline sellers could become buyers in 2026

Fortunes can change quickly in the Major Leagues. The Blue Jays are living proof.

After securing a series win over the Cubs on Thursday, Toronto has a 71-51 record -- the best in the American League -- and has surged in the standings ever since late June. The Blue Jays made a big swing at the 2025 Trade Deadline, acquiring starter Shane Bieber from the Guardians, in an attempt to make a postseason run.

Their success makes it easy to forget that just over a year ago, the Blue Jays were major sellers at the 2024 Deadline. They dealt away starter Yusei Kikuchi, infielder Justin Turner, reliever Yimi García and several other key players, finishing last in the AL East with a 74-88 record.

• How Toronto has gone from worst to first

Which clubs who traded away important pieces at this year’s Trade Deadline could follow Toronto’s path? Here are five 2025 Deadline sellers who could become 2026 Deadline buyers.

Athletics

For a team last in the AL West that recently traded star closer Mason Miller at the Deadline, the future looks pretty bright. The A’s might still have a ways to go before they’re postseason caliber, but there’s a lot to dream on. Rookies Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson have played beyond their years, designated hitter Brent Rooker has emerged as one of MLB’s top sluggers, and hitters such as Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler have become fixtures in the lineup.

On the mound, lefty starters Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez have been strong, although the A’s will need more rotation depth and a bounce-back year from right-hander Luis Severino in 2026. Solid years from Michael Kelly and Elvis Alvarado should help the A’s field a decent relief corps even without Miller in the mix. And then there’s the prospects: Teenage phenom Leo De Vries, MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 overall prospect, probably won’t reach the Majors as soon as next season, but he’s not far off. With A’s No. 4 prospect Luis Morales just called up and A's No. 3 and No. 6 prospects Gage Jump and Braden Nett pitching for Double-A Midland, the A’s have mound reinforcements waiting in the wings.

Marlins

The Marlins weren’t exactly major sellers at this year’s Deadline, trading catcher Nick Fortes to the Rays and sending outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Astros for righty starter Ryan Gusto. They hung onto 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara despite the right-hander’s down season, and they’ve been playing much better baseball, posting a 21-18 record since July 1.

The return of Eury Pérez and a breakout year for Edward Cabrera have fueled the Marlins’ rotation, which could be even better next season if Alcantara can return to form. All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers spearheads a talented group of young position players, including rookie catcher Agustín Ramírez; outfielders Jakob Marsee and Heriberto Hernandez; and infielders Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez. If the Marlins can make some free-agent adds and get contributions from their top two prospects -- lefty pitchers Thomas White (MLB Pipeline’s No. 21 overall prospect) and Robby Snelling (No. 80) -- they could be a contender for an NL postseason berth in 2026. And don’t count them out completely for 2025 just yet, either.

Pirates

Paul Skenes AND Bubba Chandler in the same rotation? It’s probably going to happen in 2026, unless the Pirates give MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 overall prospect the call later this season. The potential of that talented duo, plus the dependability of Mitch Keller and the impending return of Jared Jones from a right UCL sprain, should make Pittsburgh’s rotation one of the best in the National League. Closer Dennis Santana and relievers Braxton Ashcraft and Isaac Mattson have shored up the bullpen, too.

Of course, the Pirates will need a lot more thump in their lineup if they hope to compete. Center fielder Oneil Cruz has that and then some, but picking up a couple power bats this offseason could go a long way. Pirates No. 6 prospect Termarr Johnson, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 Draft -- who is currently at Double-A -- could help, if he can crack the Majors by 2026. We haven’t even mentioned MLB’s top overall prospect Konnor Griffin yet, but the 19-year-old at High-A probably won’t make it to The Show quite so soon. If he does, though? Look out for the Pirates.

Twins

It might seem like the Twins traded away just about everybody in their series of Deadline deals, but so many of their core pieces are still in place. Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan, Pablo López and Royce Lewis are among the big-name players still with a Minnesota team that picked up plenty of prospects with an eye on contending in the future. Could that be as soon as 2026? It sure could.

The Twins added a host of depth pieces to fill out their roster, including outfielder Alan Roden and right-handers Taj Bradley and Mick Abel. Those acquisitions, of course, came at the cost of three key relievers -- Louis Varland, Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran -- but the Twins are betting they can at least approximate that production from a new-look relief corps. With top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez nearing the Major Leagues, Minnesota has the pieces -- young players and veterans alike -- to make a quick turnaround after a major sell-off. It might require a lot to go right, but a rapid return to the postseason is hardly far-fetched.

White Sox

It’s hard to envision the White Sox -- the same White Sox who lost a record 121 games last season -- buying in 2026, but hear us out: It’s absolutely possible. In fact, if you’ve been watching them swing the bats since the All-Star break, it almost seems inevitable. Averaging 5.4 runs a game since the break, the second-highest scoring output in the AL, Chicago might be accelerating the timeline on its rebuild just a bit.

Sure, a team currently sitting at 44-77 isn’t likely to go out and win 90 games next year, but if the White Sox show continued improvement for the rest of the season and into 2026, it would make sense for them to seek upgrades to what looks like a promising young core. Rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery has been slugging, Luis Robert Jr. is still manning center field, and Edgar Quero, Kyle Teel, Miguel Vargas and Lenyn Sosa all appear to be part of whatever future Chicago has in store. If lefty pitching prospects Noah Schultz (MLB Pipeline No. 38 overall) and Hagen Smith (No. 93) can earn a callup by next season, things could move fast for the White Sox.