With the MLB Trade Deadline just one week away, the rumor mill is churning at full speed, and few names are generating as much buzz as Luis Arraez. The San Francisco Giants second baseman was a unanimous selection among Rotowire Baseball staff members asked to predict which players are most likely to be on the move by July 30. It is not hard to see why. The Giants are going nowhere fast, and Arraez is playing on a one-year, $12 million deal, making him a quintessential rental for a contender looking to bolster its lineup down the stretch. He remains one of the premier contact hitters in the sport, slashing .327/.363/.451 with four home runs, 50 runs scored, 40 RBI, and eight stolen bases. What makes him even more attractive this season is his improved defense at second base, where he has posted an Outs Above Average of 11, one of the better marks in the league. While he may not bring back a massive prospect haul given his short-term contract status, the Giants could land an intriguing pitching prospect in return. A trade to a stronger lineup or more hitter-friendly environment would also give Arraez’s fantasy value a meaningful lift.
Another Giants starter drawing plenty of trade speculation is left-hander Robbie Ray, who garnered seven votes from staff members. Ray’s 3.16 ERA is his lowest since his Cy Young campaign in 2021, but the underlying numbers tell a murkier story. His 4.81 xFIP suggests significant regression could be coming, and his strikeout-to-walk rate has dipped well below his usual standards. Ray has leaned more heavily on his sinker this year, a pitch that generates fewer whiffs but helps induce weaker contact. That approach might explain how he has outperformed his peripherals, but it comes at a cost for fantasy managers who want strikeouts. His home/away splits add another layer of concern: he owns a sparkling 2.22 ERA at Oracle Park but a far less inspiring 4.35 mark on the road. Moving out of San Francisco’s spacious confines would put additional pressure on an already declining whiff rate, making him something of a risky acquisition for any team willing to roll the dice.
Perhaps no player on this list carries more intrigue than Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets, whose first season in Queens has been nothing short of disastrous. After acquiring him for two well-regarded prospects, the Mets envisioned Peralta anchoring their rotation. Instead, his 4.99 ERA ranks among the highest in baseball among qualified starters, and his 22.1 percent strikeout rate is the worst of his career by a wide margin. His fastball has lost life, and his breaking pitches have blurred together far too often. Yet there is reason to believe a turnaround could be coming. Over his last handful of starts, Peralta’s fastball has shown renewed vertical action, and he has done a better job separating the shapes of his sweeper and curveball. Factor in his bargain $8 million salary, and it is easy to see why contenders might still come calling despite the ugly surface numbers.
Relievers are always in demand at the deadline, and Luke Weaver of the Mets could end up being the best bullpen arm available. Since converting to relief full time three years ago, Weaver has been quietly excellent, and he currently owns a career-low 1.93 ERA that included a remarkable 24-appearance scoreless streak spanning May through July. He limits hard contact, misses bats, throws strikes, and features a changeup that neutralizes left-handed hitters. Some smaller-market clubs might balk at the $12.5 million he is owed next season, but for a reliever of his caliber, that qualifies as fair value. If Weaver lands in a spot where he can close games, his fantasy stock would soar.
Then there is Tarik Skubal, perhaps the most fascinating name floating around the deadline conversation. Only four of nine staff members voted for Skubal to be traded, reflecting what appears to be Detroit’s reluctance to sell. But logic says they should. At just three-and-a-half games back in the Wild Card race, sneaking into October is technically possible, but nobody confuses these Tigers with a legitimate World Series threat. Given their arbitration battles with Skubal and their offseason agreement with Framber Valdez, re-signing him seems unlikely. Letting arguably the best starting pitcher in baseball walk for nothing would be catastrophic for Detroit’s future. Whether ownership sees it that
