How all 30 teams can upgrade at Trade Deadline

Whether it’s a contender hunting for the final piece of a championship puzzle, a bubble team trying to stay in the race or a rebuilding club looking to stock up for the future, every team has its share of needs to address prior to the Trade Deadline.

No matter the approach, the goal is the same for every team: Come out of the Deadline in a better position than they went in.

With the help of MLB.com's beat reporters, here’s a look at one area each club should be looking to upgrade by the Trade Deadline on July 31.

All stats are through Sunday.

Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

AL EAST

Blue Jays: High-end pitching
The Blue Jays don’t need depth, they need star power. Across the board, this lineup, rotation and bullpen have done well to survive injuries thanks to some impressive development stories, but the ceiling of this roster needs a boost if Toronto is going to make a run in October. That could come in the form of a back-end reliever, similar to when the Blue Jays added Jordan Hicks in 2023. If they target a starter, it would need to be someone capable of starting a postseason game, so their bar needs to be high as they evaluate this market. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: Prospects nearing the big leagues
Unless the O’s go on quite a run over the next two or so weeks, they’ll likely be sellers at the Deadline. They’ll have the potential to shop several standout players on expiring contracts, such as All-Star designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn, center fielder Cedric Mullins and a host of pitchers. But the Orioles will aim to contend in 2026, considering they still have a strong, young core. So if they could acquire any Minor Leaguers who are close to reaching the Majors, it could be beneficial for next year. -- Jake Rill

Rays: Reliever
The Rays’ rotation is almost uncharacteristically well-stocked. Their five starters haven’t missed a turn so far this season. Shane McClanahan is on the way back. Joe Boyle and Ian Seymour look like MLB-ready options in Triple-A (Boyle is already back in the bigs). And Tampa Bay’s lineup has been a pleasant surprise, entering the week ranked in the top 10 in runs and OPS, and that was before Ha-Seong Kim joined the mix. The Rays haven’t asked as much of their bullpen as usual, but it’s probably the most obvious area to address with the postseason in mind. Their bullpen ranks in the middle of the pack in ERA, WHIP and WAR (per FanGraphs) and had multiple late-inning hiccups during the Rays' weekend series against the Twins. They have plenty of depth and internal options, but another reliable arm in front of closer Pete Fairbanks could go a long way. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: First baseman with pop
This has been a need since Triston Casas ruptured his left patellar tendon on May 2. It became even more of a need on June 15, when Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants, taking another powerful lefty bat out of Boston’s lineup. Mix in an impact acquisition at first base with the imminent return from injuries of Alex Bregman and Masataka Yoshida and the Red Sox could have a potent offense. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: Third base
Jazz Chisholm Jr. profiles better at second base, and the Yankees are actively seeking an upgrade over DJ LeMahieu, which could come at third base. It has proven easier said than done to this point, but they've already shown interest in the Rockies' Ryan McMahon. Other trade candidates include Eugenio Suárez (D-backs), Ke'Bryan Hayes (Pirates), Nolan Arenado (Cardinals) and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Pirates). -- Bryan Hoch

AL CENTRAL

Guardians: Controllable right-handed bat
Any upgrade for the Guardians must start with a hitter who can help for the rest of 2025 and in the coming seasons -- and preferably someone who can help against lefties. The Guardians’ offense has been the worst in the Majors since June 1; entering Monday, Cleveland ranked last in the Majors in runs (81), average (.203), on-base percentage (.271), slugging percentage (.323) and wRC+ (67). Over that same stretch, they slashed just .205/.273/.328 vs. southpaws. -- Tim Stebbins

Royals: Power bat
Any sort of offense would be an upgrade for the Royals, who are hoping not to squander a really good pitching staff with an offense that has struggled to score runs all season. The outfield makes the most sense positionally for an upgrade, especially with Royals outfielders ranking as the worst offensive group in MLB. But some versatility with their current roster allows the Royals a little more flexibility if there’s a fit elsewhere on the field. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: Controllable starting pitcher
Third base has stabilized with the shift of Colt Keith to the hot corner and the return of Matt Vierling from the IL, but the rotation is showing some cracks with Jackson Jobe’s season-ending elbow injury, Jack Flaherty’s summer struggles and mixed results for the "pitching chaos" strategy. Adding a top-half starter with years of control would not only bolster the rotation ahead of October and lessen the workload on a taxed bullpen, it could potentially help further Detroit’s window beyond next season should the Tigers and Tarik Skubal not find common ground on a contract extension. -- Jason Beck

Twins: Right-handed corner bat
The Twins have struggled to prevent runs at times over the past month, but their rotation should be getting healthy before too long. Their lineup basically is healthy and it still gets stuck in the mud too much. A real threat against left-handed pitching, especially one who could play multiple positions, would be a huge help. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: Shortstop
This choice seems a bit interesting with Colson Montgomery, the No. 5 White Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline, making his triumphant debut at shortstop this past weekend in Colorado, and with rookie Chase Meidroth already having played 56 Major League games at the spot. There also are talented options such as Caleb Bonemer (No. 9 White Sox prospect) within the system. But general manager Chris Getz has talked about strength up the middle for his developing team and the best athletes often are at the shortstop position. Overall, the White Sox are looking for young talent to continue strengthening their core. -- Scott Merkin

AL WEST

Angels: Depth
Although they are hanging around in the AL Wild Card race and could use help in several areas, such as the bullpen, corner infield and center field, the Angels aren't likely to be aggressive buyers at the Trade Deadline. The Halos could end up buying and selling with one eye on this season and another on the future. They just don't seem likely to trade any useful prospects. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: Left-handed bat
The Astros traded Kyle Tucker in December and have been without injured slugger Yordan Alvarez for the past two months -- and who knows how long after that -- so the need to add a left-handed bat is paramount. Positional flexibility will be key, especially if he can play some left field and second base, and perhaps even some first base. Through Sunday, the Astros had only 357 at-bats by a left-handed hitter, which was by far the fewest in the big leagues. In 29th place sit the Angels, with 681. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Pitching
The A’s have already identified a talented young core on offense headlined by All-Star rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson, reigning AL Rookie of the Month Nick Kurtz and dynamic outfielder Lawrence Butler. The next step is to fortify their pitching, which entered Monday with a combined 5.32 ERA, the second-highest team ERA in the Majors next to only the Rockies (5.51). Bolstering their bullpen and rotation is a must to complement this potent offense. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: An impact bat, preferably at corner infield
The Mariners have always baked the Deadline into their roster-building strategy, but this year’s dearth of available bats -- at least right now -- could hinder their hopes of landing a significant upgrade in the coming weeks. Their clearest needs are at the corner infield spots, but sources have suggested that they may seek to simply acquire the best bat(s) available, regardless of position, and figure it out after the fact. They’ll have a farm system that's ranked No. 5 by MLB Pipeline to deal from, and a green light for increased spending from ownership, too. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: Offense
Despite having a pitching staff and a bullpen that has consistently been in the top three in baseball this season, the Rangers’ offense has been holding them back from pushing past the .500 threshold. Though key players like Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Adolis García have found their swings over the last month, Texas has struggled to find consistency throughout the lineup. There aren’t many open positions for the Rangers to slot in a new bat, but with Joc Pederson still weeks away as he rehabs a right hand fracture, designated hitter could be the clearest spot. -- Kennedi Landry

NL EAST

Braves: Position player prospects
The Braves may not get much in return from trading Marcell Ozuna, Ozzie Albies or Raisel Iglesias, but they can at least add some bats to a farm system barren of quality position players. The starting rotation looks solid with Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Grant Holmes controllable over the next few years. JR Ritchie and Cam Caminiti should also make their way toward the Majors within the next few seasons. But this is an organization that needs to begin finding position players who can at least provide the internal depth that doesn’t currently exist. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: Upper-level shortstop
Miami’s philosophy is "best available" when it comes to trade returns, but the organization still lacks upper-level prospects at shortstop. While Otto Lopez, 26, has been solid since moving from second base to short, is he a multi-year answer? The Marlins also could use more power. They entered Monday with the fifth-fewest homers (79) in the Majors. Deyvison De Los Santos (Triple-A) and Kemp Alderman (Double-A) are the only true upper-level sluggers in Miami’s system. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: Left-handed relief
Believe it or not, the biggest need here is not starting pitching -- not with Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn all due back before the end of July. Certainly, the Mets could stand to upgrade their rotation, but what they really need is relief help. Specifically, they’ve lacked a shutdown left-handed option since A.J. Minter and Danny Young both suffered season-ending injuries back in April. Filling that gap could help the entire staff thrive. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: Relief pitching
The Nationals’ bullpen could benefit from new talent after parting ways with veteran relievers Colin Poche, Lucas Sims and Jorge López by the end of May. Derek Law also has been sidelined since Spring Training. For the season, Nationals relievers have an MLB-worst 5.79 ERA. They have seen success from young bullpen arms Jose A. Ferrer, Brad Lord, Cole Henry, Jackson Rutledge and Zach Brzykcy. But if they trade closer Kyle Finnegan, who is on an expiring contract, they will need to fill late innings. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: Bullpen
The Phillies lost Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez to free agency in the offseason. They signed Jordan Romano to a one-year deal to try to help replace them. But it hasn’t gone as planned, in part because left-hander José Alvarado was suspended 80 games for a PED violation. If the Phillies want to not only make the postseason but also go far, they truly need a lockdown, late-inning, closer-type right-handed reliever. Why right-handed? Well, Alvarado will be back in mid-August, and while he won’t be eligible to pitch in the playoffs, the Phillies can move one of their starting left-handers (Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo) to the bullpen come October. -- Todd Zolecki

NL CENTRAL

Brewers: Power bat
They won the division last season primarily with speed, defense and pitching, but they also had shortstop Willy Adames hitting 33 home runs. Now that Adames is gone, and with catcher William Contreras’ slugging percentage down more than 100 points as he plays with a fractured finger, Milwaukee is missing the sort of power threat it sometimes takes to pick off a win or two when the opposing pitching is so good it makes constructing long rallies a challenge. That need has become even more glaring after first baseman Rhys Hoskins suffered a sprained left thumb on Saturday. Where would this mystery addition fit? Third base could be one place, or in the outfield. Designated hitter is another option if the club is confident that Christian Yelich is ready for regular duty in left field. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: Help for the rotation
The Cardinals are in the bottom half of MLB in team ERA (4.08) and runs allowed (399), and things have gotten worse in recent weeks. Since June 22, St. Louis has a 4.91 ERA, which ranks 26th in baseball, and has allowed the fifth-most runs (71). The starters have been the main culprits, having allowed 48 earned runs during that time, second-most in MLB. Erick Fedde and Miles Mikolas both had two consecutive starts recently in which they allowed six or more earned runs. So, rotation help should be the priority for a team that’s still hanging in the NL Wild Card race. -- Jason Foster

Cubs: Add to rotation
The Cubs recently saw Shota Imanaga return from the IL, but veteran righty Jameson Taillon was then shelved for at least a month due to a calf injury. Justin Steele is also out for the season after undergoing left elbow surgery. While first-time All-Star Matthew Boyd has been a steady hand, Cade Horton has shown promise as a rookie and Colin Rea has stepped up admirably, the North Siders need at least one arm for the stretch run. Expect the Cubs to target a frontline starter, and perhaps some depth pieces, to shore up the staff for the run to October. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: Power bat
The Pirates have plenty of pitching up for grabs this Deadline, but they need more bats. They rank last in MLB in slugging percentage (.341) and extra-base hits, and with the exception of Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, they don’t really have a hitter who has 25-30 home run potential. The Pirates need to be able to create more quick offense, and they should have the pitching to make such a deal possible. -- Alex Stumpf

Reds: Right fielder
With a .641 OPS combined from their right fielders this season, the Reds are tied for 27th in MLB in that department. So it’s an area where Cincinnati can add some consistent power to further lengthen their lineup after recently getting both Austin Hays and Noelvi Marte back from injuries. -- Mark Sheldon

NL WEST

D-backs: Relief pitching
If they are buyers, the Diamondbacks will look to add to their bullpen. With co-closers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez both out for the season after Tommy John surgery, the back end of the bullpen is in need of help. For GM Mike Hazen to give up a treasured prospect, however, there would need to be multiple years of control with the pitcher or pitchers they get in return. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Left-handed bat
The Dodgers were encouraged by the news that Max Muncy sustained a left knee bone bruise, rather than a season-ending injury, but they’ll still be without their power-hitting third baseman for an extended period. Because Michael Conforto has yet to pick it up, a left-handed hitter with some pop could be a valuable addition to the lineup. The Dodgers could also stand to stabilize their pitching staff, but bridging Muncy’s absence feels like the bigger need at this point. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: Starting pitcher
The Giants may have the best 1-2 punch in baseball in All-Stars Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, but they could use some more depth behind their co-aces, especially after dealing young lefty Kyle Harrison to the Red Sox as part of the Rafael Devers trade. Justin Verlander is winless through his first 14 starts of the year, Landen Roupp has already thrown more innings than he did last year and Hayden Birdsong has recorded a 6.94 ERA over his past five starts, underscoring the need for more reinforcements. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: Left fielder
The Padres have gotten average or above-average production at just about every spot on the field, except for two: catcher and left field. They can at least live with the lack of firepower at catcher, given the defense-first nature of the position. But they entered Monday with a .621 OPS in left field that ranked 27th in the Majors. (Lately, that number has been inflated by Gavin Sheets playing out of position.) The Padres’ lineup is strong, but it’s top-heavy. Adding a bat is their first priority -- and a competent left fielder shouldn’t be too hard to find on the trade market. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: Starting pitching
The Rockies need to improve their talent level all over the field, but starting pitching is an evergreen issue for the team. Because free agents avoid Colorado, the Rox have to develop starters or trade for them. With starters Germán Márquez and Austin Gomber in the final year of their contracts, trading them makes sense. But somehow the Rockies need to get young, controllable pitching -- whether it’s by moving Márquez and Gomber, or dealing others such as third baseman Ryan McMahon. -- Thomas Harding