ATLANTA -- Ryan O'Hearn was living out a dream this week, playing in the first All-Star Game of his career.
The American League’s starting designated hitter was the Orioles’ lone representative in Atlanta, but given Baltimore’s precarious place in the postseason picture, O’Hearn knows he might find himself wearing another uniform before the end of the month.
“I’m trying to be where my feet are, focus on one day at a time with the guys in the locker room in Baltimore,” O’Hearn said. “I love them and I want to be with them, but at the same time, I understand it’s a business and this happens every year. Guys get traded around this time, so this is just part of it.”
O’Hearn wasn’t the only player in Atlanta this week whose All-Star experience might be one of their last with their current team.
Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez has been one of the more popular names on the rumor mill, while Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore and Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan have also been mentioned as potential trade candidates.
“I'm happy where I am right now, but at the same time, I understand the game,” Suárez said. “I understand the business. If I stay, fine; if I have to go, that’s fine, too. I will do my best wherever I am, but right now, I’m happy where I am.”
Both Arizona and Cleveland have hovered around the .500 mark for much of the season, entering the second half with at least a half-dozen teams ahead of them in the Wild Card standings. How those teams fare over the next 10-14 days will help determine their buy-or-sell fates, but that timeframe won’t stop the rumors from continuing to swirl.
“You kind of hear rumors of all sorts of different things,” Kwan said. “Our job is to play baseball and do it to the best of our ability.”
Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta and Minnesota’s Joe Ryan have also been floated as possible trade chips, though sources said the two right-handers are unlikely to be moved before the Deadline.
For every player who faces the possibility of being traded, the mantra is always the same: “It’s out of my control, so I don’t spend much time thinking about it.”
The same doesn’t always go for their friends and family, many of whom will call or text the latest rumor to find out whether there’s any validity to the report.
“It is tough; I’ve stopped looking at it as much as possible and I try to stay off my phone,” O’Hearn said. “I actually told my parents to stop sending me trade rumor articles, because it can be a lot to comprehend and think about when you're trying to play the game.”
“My parents and I talk on the phone, and they don’t bring it up that much,” Ryan said. “My mom is a huge baseball fan, too. She's always at Giants games, so she’s probably thinking more about what they're going to do.”
Gore is under club control through 2027, and with a new front-office regime in place following Mike Rizzo’s dismissal, it’s unclear whether the first-time All-Star will be moved in favor of younger, more controllable talent. Then again, Gore has already been traded at the Deadline once in his career – he was part of the Nationals’ return for Juan Soto in August 2022 – so he has some experience with this.
“Having been traded before, it's just one of those things you don’t even think about,” Gore said. “You love the guys you're around and you grow as a group with these guys, but I’m just trying to stack good starts and whatever happens, happens.”
Two of O’Hearn’s AL All-Star teammates know what he’s going through. Last summer, Garrett Crochet spent much of All-Star week answering questions about the potential of being traded, a move that ultimately took place after the season. Josh Hader dealt with the same situation in 2022 before being dealt from Milwaukee to San Diego before the Deadline.
“You just handle it the best you can,” Crochet said. “If you're in these talks, it's because you're performing pretty well. It's just something you have to deal with. I guess it's part of this game.”
“Just enjoy the time you have,” Hader said. “You can't do anything about it. Just play your game, and if you do go, just go rock. Typically if you're getting traded, you're getting traded to a team that wants you.”
Hader’s last point is one that seems to resonate with every potential trade candidate.
“It is flattering that other teams are interested and that they think that you can help their team do something special,” O’Hearn said. “That's definitely a compliment. I appreciate that.”
“When you see your name around and you hear that different teams want you, you have to feel proud,” Suárez said. “I feel proud about that, but let's see what happens in the next couple weeks.”
Minnesota, Cleveland, Arizona and Baltimore are all trying to hang in their respective Wild Card races despite sub-.500 records, facing deficits ranging from four to 7 1/2 games from their league’s third and final spot. They could buy, sell or stand pat depending on how the next two weeks play out, leaving players to fight for the right to stay with their current teammates.
“That feels like the elephant in the room, for sure,” O’Hearn said. “We have a bunch of guys who are honest with each other about where we're at. In today’s game, you can’t even be oblivious to it because it’s everywhere.”
“With that uncertainty, you can kind of let your brain just let it go,” Kwan said. “I think if it was simpler, then you would kind of have a better idea, but because there's so much unknown with it, we just have to play the game.”
Even some All-Stars with no concern about being traded are watching the Trade Deadline situation closely, as they could be facing the loss of some teammates if their teams decide to sell.
Corbin Carroll spoke glowingly of Suárez’s impact on the Diamondbacks both on and off the field, saying it’s no surprise that contenders including the Yankees, Tigers and Mariners could be lining up to trade for the third baseman.
“I don't want to sell him too hard,” Carroll said with a laugh. “He's an all-time player and an all-time person. It's been a privilege to be his teammate and I hope I am for the rest this year.”
The only certainty when it comes to the next two weeks is that many of these players will continue to be discussed in trade talks, prompting rampant speculation about their futures. Whether they get moved remains to be seen, but the chatter won’t stop until the Deadline passes at 6 p.m. ET on July 31.
“It’s entertainment at the end of the day, the game that we play -- and the Trade Deadline, as well,” Ryan said. “I think it's exciting. I think it's good for the sport; hopefully it gets more eyeballs on it. I don't lose any focus with it; I'm here to pitch.”