The upcoming MLB All-Star break freezes the standings, forcing organizations to spend the reprieve deliberating their status before the trade deadline.
For just this year, general managers get an extra day with the non-waiver deadline pushed to August 1. Action won’t accelerate until later in July, but everyone can get a feel for who’s buying, who’s selling and which players will frequent the conversations.
Let’s not get carried away with grand aspirations of the Los Angeles Angels opening a bidding war for Mike Trout. A last-place team will sell veterans but usually not young stars. For that reason, this won’t be a place to discuss trade scenarios for Wil Myers (25 years old), Julio Teheran (25), Chris Archer (27) or Sonny Gray (26).
Let’s instead examine notable players with a more realistic chance of changing employers before the deadline. It’s not all veterans on expiring contracts, as a couple of need-based exchanges should intrigue all parties.